For a few seconds, no one moved. Then Xu Yang kept turned toward door but figure was gone.Lin Chen looked toward the empty street. "It has vanished." Xu Yang listened carefully. There was no sound of footsteps. Qing Li stepped closer and looked outside. "There is no trace of it leaving." Yan Luo's eyes fell to the ground. "But the footprints remain." Everyone looked down. The red footprints began at the doorway and continued across the wet street. Chen Yu frowned slightly. "It left these behind, yet we heard nothing." Qing Li followed the trail with his eyes. "Then it did not leave like an ordinary person."
Xu Yang stepped outside. Yan Luo and Qing Li followed him.Xu Yang looked at the red footprints. "They lead toward the edge of the town." Qing Li looked ahead. "Then we should follow them." Yan Luo glanced at him. "We know not what waits at the end of this trail." Qing Li's expression remained calm. "That is why we should see it for ourselves." Xu Yang continued forward. The footprints passed between the old houses and crossed the empty road. The others followed behind them. The town was silent. Su Yuan looked at the closed doors along the street. "Not a single person has come out."
Lin Chen lowered his voice. "After what happened tonight, they may be too afraid." Su Yuan said nothing more. Xu Yang suddenly stopped. The red footprints had reached the edge of the town. Qing Li looked ahead. "They end here." Yan Luo slowly looked around. "There is no road beyond this place." Xu Yang lowered his eyes and noticed a narrow path hidden among the tall grass. It led into the dark forest. One final red footprint stood at the beginning of the path. Its toe pointed toward the trees. Qing Li's expression changed. "It went into the forest."
Xu Yang nodded. "And left no other trace." Yan Luo looked into the dark trees. "Then that is where it went." Chen Yu stepped closer. "Could it be the same place Hei Long saw in his vision?" Xu Yang looked back at Hei Long. "You said there were many demons standing together." Hei Long nodded slowly. "Yes. They all bore the same mark." Xu Yang looked toward the forest. "And the thing behind them?" Hei Long's fingers slowly closed around his marked arm. "I could not see its face." He paused. "But I remember its eyes." Wei Han's gaze fell to Hei Long's arm. "Your mark changed when the figure appeared. Perhaps the two are connected." Hei Long looked at the dark forest. "I have the same feeling."
Chen Yu frowned. "Then whatever lies within those trees may know of you." Xu Yang's eyes narrowed slightly. "Or it may be waiting for you." Hei Long lowered his gaze for a moment. "If that is so, we will soon know." Xu Yang looked toward the dark forest. The others stood behind him. Hei Long suddenly touches his marked arm. The mark moves slightly. Xu Yang notices it. Before he can say anything, a faint red glow appears deep inside the forest. Then another. Then another. Hundreds of tiny red lights slowly appear between the trees.
Xu Yang and the others stared into the forest.The red lights stayed still between the trees.They could not tell what they were. Too many trees blocked their view, and the forest was dark. Lin Chen swallowed. "Could those be lanterns?"Chen Yu shook his head.Qing Li narrowed his eyes."They are too far apart." Wei Han kept watching the forest. "They may not be objects at all." Su Yuan looked at him. "Then what are they?" Wei Han did not answer. Xu Yang kept his eyes on the red lights.
A wind moved through the trees, making the branches shake. But the red lights did not move. Hei Long suddenly grabbed his arm. His face tightened. Xu Yang noticed at once. "The mark?" Hei Long nodded. "It hurts again." He pulled up his sleeve. The dark mark under his skin had become darker. At the same moment,several red lights became brighter. Hei Long's fingers tightened around his arm. Xu Yang looked from the mark to the forest. The two changes had happened together. So they really are connected... He kept the thought to himself. "What is it?" Qing Li asked quietly.
Xu Yang looked at him. "Nothing yet." Hei Long slowly breathed out. "Whatever is in that forest... it is getting closer." No one answered. A few seconds passed. Then one red light disappeared. It did not fade. It simply moved behind a tree. Everyone went still. "Did you see that?" Su Yuan whispered. Another red light moved. Then another. The group watched as the strange lights moved between the trees. Some went behind the trunks. Others appeared somewhere else. More and more began to move. Chen Yu's face became serious. "They are not staying in one place."
Qing Li slowly breathed in. "There are more than before." Xu Yang stared into the dark forest. His eyes followed one red light as it moved from one tree to another. Then he noticed something. It was not moving like a flame. It was turning. One red light slowly turned toward them. Then another did the same. Xu Yang's expression changed. "Wait..." More red points turned toward them. One after another, the forest seemed to wake up. Then Xu Yang understood. They were not lights hanging between the trees. They were eyes. Hundreds of red eyes slowly opened in the darkness, watching them from the forest. Yan Luo slowly drew his sword. The flame on the blade lit up his face.
For several seconds, no one moved. Hundreds of red eyes filled the dark forest, fixed on them from between the trees. Lin Chen grabbed Xu Yang's hand. Xu Yang looked at him then back to red light. Su Yuan's face had gone pale. Why are there so many? What kind of place is this?... He tried to stay calm, but his heart was beating fast. He had never seen so many demons watching from the dark. "There are so many..." Chen Yu looked across the forest. "Yet none of them have come closer."
Qing Li narrowed his eyes. "If they wanted to attack, we would already be fighting." Su Yuan glanced at him. "Then why are they just standing there?" "Because they may not be waiting for us," Wei Han said quietly. Everyone looked at him. Wei Han's gaze stayed on the forest. "They may be waiting for something else."Lin Chen's grip tightened around Xu Yang's hand. "Something else?" Wei Han nodded slightly. "We do not know what happened here before we arrived. The red rain may not have been the beginning." Chen Yu looked deeper into the trees. "You think these demons were already here before the rain?" "Possibly." Wei Han paused. "The rain may have only awakened them." Su Yuan swallowed.
Before anyone could speak, the trees ahead moved. A demon slowly walked out from the forest. His clothes were soaked and clung to his body, even though the rain had already stopped. Water dripped from his long hair and ran down his pale face. His steps were slow, but steady. A faint dark-red mark could be seen on the side of his neck. Chen Yu's eyes narrowed as he watched him. Lin Chen quietly moved closer to Xu Yang, his grip tightening around his sword. Qing Li stayed close with Yan Luo as he studied the demon's face. "He isn't attacking." Chen Yu said softly. Wei Han glanced at the mark on the demon's neck, then back at Hei Long. "He came here for someone." Su Yuan's eyes moved between them. "Hei Long..." The demon stopped a few steps away and simply looked at Hei Long. Hei Long stared back, his expression slowly changing. Xu Yang glanced at him. "Hei Long?" Hei Long did not answer.
Suddenly, his hand pressed against his arm. A sharp pain shot through it, making his body tense. He clenched his teeth and took a small step back. Xu Yang immediately reached toward him. "What happened?" "My arm..." Hei Long's voice came out strained. Chen Yu stepped closer, his eyes moving between Hei Long and the demon. "Did it start when he came out?" Hei Long gave a small nod. Qing Li's expression hardened. "Then there is a connection."Hei Long lowered his arm, breathing heavily. The demon in front of them still did not move. It only continued staring at him. Lin Chen looked at Xu Yang, clearly worried. Xu Yang kept his eyes on Hei Long, then looked back at the stranger.
Lin Chen looked at Xu Yang, clearly worried. Xu Yang kept his eyes on Hei Long, then looked back at the stranger. For a few seconds, nobody moved. Yan Luo quietly stepped closer to Hei Long and put hand on his shoulder. "Can you stand?" he asked. Hei Long nodded, though his face was still tense. "I can." Yan Luo looked at him for another moment before turning his attention back to the demon. Qing Li stood beside him, his eyes fixed on the stranger. "It came here for a reason." he said quietly.
Yan Luo's gaze remained steady. "Yes. And it chose Hei Long." Hei Long looked at the demon again, trying to understand the meaning behind its silent stare. Qing Li lowered his voice. "Sometimes a demon does not need to speak. Showing someone what they have forgotten can be enough." Hei Long's fingers slowly curled. "Forgotten..." he repeated under his breath. Xu Yang watched him closely. "You think it knows something about you?" Hei Long did not answer. The demon remained motionless beneath the trees, its wet hair hanging over its face.
A faint breeze passed through the forest, moving the leaves around its feet. Yan Luo's eyes shifted briefly toward Hei Long's arm. "Whatever it knows, it is connected to that mark." Hei Long looked down at his arm. His breathing became slower as he tried to steady himself. Qing Li glanced at Yan Luo, then back at the demon. "It may not be showing him the past," he said. "It may be showing him where to look." Xu Yang's eyes narrowed slightly. That thought stayed with him.
The demon suddenly lifted one hand and touched the faint mark on its neck. Hei Long's body went still. For a moment, neither of them moved. Then the demon slowly lowered its hand. Hei Long's fingers tightened around his sleeve. "I have seen that before," he whispered. Everyone looked at him. "Where?" Yan Luo asked quietly. Hei Long shook his head. "I don't remember." The demon turned its head slightly toward the deeper forest. Then it took one slow step backward. Before anyone could react, its body faded into the darkness between the trees and disappeared.
Hei Long slowly lowered his hand from his arm, his eyes still fixed on the place where the demon had disappeared."It just vanished like that?!" Su Yuan said quietly. Wei Han looked deeper into the trees. "Why did it come here only to leave like that? What does it want?" Qing Li's gaze moved across the darkness. "Perhaps it has already shown us what it wanted us to see." Su Yuan frowned slightly. "A mark on its neck?" "And the reaction it caused in Hei Long." Qing Li replied. "That cannot be meaningless." Yan Luo glanced at Hei Long, who was still staring into the forest. "It may have been testing whether he would recognize it."
Hei Long shook his head. "I did not." "Not consciously," Wei Han said. "But your body reacted before you understood what you were seeing." Hei Long looked down at his arm again. Xu Yang watched them in silence, then looked toward the empty space between the trees. So it walks out of nowhere, stares at Hei Long, touches the same mark, gives everyone a mysterious look, and then simply disappears... Xu Yang's mouth twitched slightly. Great. Very helpful. Could it not leave behind an actual explanation for once?... "At least it could have stayed long enough to explain itself," he muttered.
Lin Chen glanced at him. "What did you say?" Xu Yang looked away. "Nothing." He stared at the forest again. "Just thinking." Yan Luo looked toward the narrow path ahead. The faint red glow that had filled the forest earlier was gone, but several dark-red marks remained on the ground.They stretched away between the trees, almost hidden beneath the leaves. Chen Yu crouched and brushed some of the leaves aside. "These were not here before." Xu Yang stepped closer and looked down.
The marks were small and uneven, like drops that had fallen from something moving through the forest. One appeared several steps ahead. Then another. Then another. They formed a thin trail leading deeper into the trees. Chen Yu studied them carefully. "They form a clear path. Someone left them deliberately." Wei Han nodded. "They also begin near the place where the demon disappeared." Qing Li looked toward the dark forest. "Then it wanted us to find them."
Yan Luo remained silent for a moment, studying the trail. "Most likely. If the marks were meant to mislead us, they would not have been left so openly." Su Yuan looked at the ground. "Then whatever lies ahead may be the reason that demon appeared before us." Wei Han gave a slight nod. "That is what I believe." Hei Long looked at the marks, his expression becoming more serious. "And it may be connected to me." Yan Luo glanced at him. "Perhaps. But we should not assume that yet." Xu Yang nodded. "The mark on your arm and the symbol on that demon are connected somehow. That much is clear. But we still do not know why."
Chen Yu stood and wiped the dirt from his hand. "Then following this path may give us an answer." Qing Li looked toward the forest again. "It is the only lead we have." Lin Chen looked at Xu Yang. "It seems we are being led somewhere." Xu Yang kept his eyes on the path. "I noticed." Lin Chen sighed softly but stayed beside him. They started forward. Yan Luo walked near the front with Qing Li, while Hei Long followed a few steps behind them. Wei Han stayed beside Su Yuan, and Chen Yu kept close to Xu Yang and Lin Chen.
Xu Yang glanced at the red marks beneath their feet as they walked. They are too deliberate to be random, yet whoever left them clearly did not want to explain anything.Of course. Why make things simple when you could leave mysterious marks in the forest and disappear?...He looked toward the dark trees ahead.Xu Yang quietly sighed. "This night keeps getting better." Lin Chen glanced at him. "Did you say something?" Xu Yang shook his head. "Nothing." He continued walking, keeping his eyes on the trail ahead.
The red marks led them farther into the forest until the trees opened into a small clearing. The old stone structure stood there, almost hidden by thick vines. Its walls were black with age, and several stones had fallen from the roof. Broken roof tiles lay across the ground. A narrow doorway stood at the front.There was no door,only darkness beyond it. Chen Yu stopped a few steps away and looked at the building. "What kind of place is this?" Xu Yang looked at the dark entrance.This is getting more suspicious by the minute... He glanced at the roof and narrowed his eyes. And somehow, I doubt we are going to find anything pleasant inside...
Qing Li looked at the walls and then toward the ground. He pointed at the mud near the entrance. "Someone has been here." There were several shallow footprints. Yan Luo crouched and looked at them. "They came from inside." Su Yuan looked toward the doorway. A thin vine hanging above the entrance suddenly dropped and it brushed across Chen Yu's shoulder. He flinched and quickly stepped aside. Something small fell from the vine and hit the ground. It was a dead bird. Its body was stiff, and dark red stains covered its feathers.
Lin Chen stared at it. "That was hanging there?" Chen Yu nodded. Xu Yang looked at the bird, then at the doorway. "I think the forest is trying very hard to tell us not to go inside." Lin Chen looked at him. "And you are still going in." Xu Yang glanced at the dark entrance. "Unfortunately, yes." Before anyone could say faint sound came from inside the building. It sounded like someone whispering.Chen Yu looked at the others. "Did someone say something?" Everyone looked at each other. "No." Qing Li said.
The whisper came again. This time it sounded closer. Xu Yang stared into the darkness. "It came from inside." Lin Chen looked at him. "Maybe we should listen to the forest." Xu Yang glanced at him. "You can wait here." Lin Chen immediately shook his head. "Then I am coming with you." Xu Yang looked at him for a moment. "Like you have any other choice." Lin Chen scratched his head. "I suppose I don't."The two entered together, followed closely by the others. Their footsteps echoed through the narrow passage, but the sound felt wrong. Each step came back a moment later, and sometimes there seemed to be one extra step mixed into the echo.
Xu Yang noticed it after the third time and stopped. The footsteps stopped with him. After waiting for a moment, he took another step, only to hear a second step behind them. Lin Chen tightened his grip on his weapon. "You heard that too." Xu Yang nodded slowly. Yan Luo turned and looked down the dark passage, but there was nothing there. Qing Li moved beside him and listened carefully. "The sound came from behind us." "There is nothing there now," Yan Luo said. Qing Li glanced at him before looking ahead again. "Then we should keep moving."
Yan Luo nodded, but just as he turned away, Qing Li caught his sleeve and pointed toward the wall. A thin line of red liquid was slowly running down the old stone. "What is this?" Yan Luo stepped closer and raised his hand, though he stopped before touching it. Qing Li leaned in beside him, and a faint smell of wet earth mixed with something bitter reached them. "Do you smell that?" Yan Luo nodded. Qing Li looked at him. "Stay close." Yan Luo gave him a faint smile. "Are you worried about me?" Qing Li kept his face calm. "I am worried I will have to carry you out if something happens." Yan Luo gave a quiet laugh. "Then you should stay close." Qing Li looked away, but he remained beside him as they continued forward.
Suddenly, a faint dragging sound came from behind them, slow and soft against the stone. Qing Li turned at once, his hand moving to his sword, but Yan Luo caught his wrist before he could step forward. "Wait." Qing Li looked down at Yan Luo's hand and then at him. "What?" "Do not go alone." After a brief pause, Qing Li nodded. "Then come with me." Yan Luo released his wrist, and the two stood together, watching the empty passage. Nothing moved, yet the strange dragging sound seemed to linger in the darkness. At last, Yan Luo looked at Qing Li and said quietly, "Let's go." Qing Li nodded and stayed close beside him as they moved deeper into the passage.
The passage opened into a larger room. Old wooden shelves stood along the walls, most of them broken and leaning against the stone. Dead insects covered the floor in thick patches, and several old jars still sat on the shelves with cloudy water inside. Some contained small dead creatures, while others were filled with black shapes that were impossible to identify. Chen Yu stepped around them carefully, but the sound of something scratching above made him stop. Everyone looked up. The dark wooden beams were covered in dust and cobwebs, yet something moved between them. Xu Yang narrowed his eyes. "There."
Before anyone could look closer, a small black insect dropped from the ceiling and landed on Qing Li's shoulder. Qing Li reached for it, but Yan Luo was faster. He brushed it away and stepped slightly in front of him. The insect hit the ground and crawled in a slow circle before suddenly turning toward the wall. Qing Li looked at it, then at Yan Luo. "You could have warned me." "You were too busy looking up." "And you were watching me?" Qing Li asked, a faint smile appearing on his face. Yan Luo ignored the question and looked toward the ceiling again. "Something is still up there." Qing Li followed his gaze. A shadow moved between the beams and disappeared.Then something fell from the beam.
Qing Li stepped back, but Yan Luo caught his arm and pulled him aside as a dark insect struck the floor where he had been standing. It crawled toward them, its many legs moving too quickly for its small body.Yan Luo watched it go. "It went back." Qing Li lowered his sword. "Maybe it knows something we do not." A faint rattling came from the shelves. Several jars shook, and the cloudy water inside them trembled. Chen Yu looked around. "Did you hear that?" Another jar moved slightly before rolling off the shelf. It hit the floor but did not break.
Su Yuan stepped back as it rolled past him, but a second jar fell and stopped near his foot. He looked down. Something pale moved inside the cloudy water. Su Yuan froze. Wei Han immediately caught his arm before he stepped closer. Xu Yang looked at them. Su Yuan slowly moved back. The pale thing inside the jar pressed against the glass. It had too many legs. Then it slowly sank back into the water. Su Yuan stared at it. Wei Han looked at him. "Still have time to go back?" Su Yuan gave him a brief look. "If you want to go back, go alone." Wei Han smiled faintly. "I did not say I wanted to." Su Yuan looked away. "Then stop asking."
Su Yuan stared at the jar for another moment before moving away. The group began searching the room, each taking a different side. Lin Chen checked the broken shelves while Xu Yang searched the floor beneath them. Chen Yu moved toward the back wall, where several old wooden boxes were stacked beneath a layer of dust. "Be careful," Yan Luo said. "Some of these may still have something inside." Chen Yu nodded and opened the first box. It was empty except for a few dried leaves. Nearby, Qing Li lifted a piece of broken wood and found a small black insect underneath. It moved toward his hand, and he quickly dropped the wood back into place. "There are too many of these things." Yan Luo glanced over and smiled.
Wei Han and Su Yuan searched another shelf together. Su Yuan reached for an old jar, but Wei Han stopped his hand. "Leave it." Su Yuan looked at him. "Why?" "The water is moving." Su Yuan looked down. The cloudy water inside was slowly turning. He quietly pulled his hand back. Across the room, Lin Chen moved a broken shelf aside. Dust fell from the wall, revealing several dark red stains on the stone. Xu Yang crouched beside him. "These were hidden." Lin Chen touched the stone near one of the stains. "Blood?" Xu Yang shook his head. "I can't tell."
Chen Yu came over and studied the marks. "They continue behind the shelf." They moved it farther aside. More red stains appeared, leading toward the back wall. Lin Chen's expression grew serious. "Someone was brought through here." Chen Yu followed the marks with his eyes. "Or something was dragged." A jar shifted behind them. Su Yuan turned at once. Wei Han caught his arm and kept him back as the jar rolled slightly along the shelf. Neither spoke until it stopped. Xu Yang glanced at them before turning back to the wall. "Keep searching." Lin Chen nodded.
Chen Yu moved toward another section while Xu Yang searched the floor. Yan Luo checked the doorway, keeping watch over the dark passage. Qing Li searched the shelves on the opposite side of the room. A faint scratching suddenly came from inside the wall. Everyone stopped. Yan Luo turned toward the sound, and Qing Li looked up from the shelf. "Did you hear that?" Chen Yu asked.Yan Luo nodded.Chen Yu walked toward the wall and pressed his hand against the stone. "There is a space behind it."
Lin Chen knocked on the stone. The sound was hollow. Xu Yang looked down and noticed a thin red line running from beneath the wall. "Here." Chen Yu crouched and brushed away the dust. "This is fresh." Lin Chen looked at the untouched dust around it. "Then something has been here recently." Xu Yang stared at the red mark. "And it left this behind." Another faint scratching came from inside the wall. Yan Luo tightened his grip on his sword. Qing Li moved to the other side of Chen Yu, ready in case something came through. Chen Yu continued along the wall while Lin Chen checked the stones beside him.
Xu Yang searched the floor for another mark. After a moment, Chen Yu stopped near the corner.Lin Chen looked over. "What did you find?" Chen Yu did not answer.He brushed away a little more dust, then turned toward Xu Yang. "Xu Yang, come here."