It was truly an undeserved calamity. For a moment, Mu Dai felt that this woman was also quite pitiful.

However, this evil talisman seemed somewhat different from the previous two.

She looked at Luo Ren: “This woman, even when possessed by the evil talisman, doesn’t seem to have gone on a killing spree.”

Although the mountain was remote, people still occasionally entered. Zhama had mentioned hunters coming and going. The story of an old man killed by a wild person had already spread with supernatural exaggeration. If more people had died, the surrounding villages would have been in a state of heightened alert.

Luo Ren nodded: “The revenge motive is clear. Even the only scapegoat was similar to Old Yan.”

Yan Hongsha bit her lip: “Could it be that the wild person acted on their own that time?”

It was possible. Perhaps the woman had told the female wild person about what happened years ago. The female wild person became enraged and, while roaming the forest, suddenly encountered the scapegoat who stumbled upon them, unleashing her violent nature. After that tragedy, the surrounding villages developed a fear of wild people and moved away.

Mu Dai thought for a moment: “The method of killing also suggests personal revenge. Although the victim was still hung in the well, the main cause…”

She glanced at Yan Hongsha and lowered her voice: “The main cause of death was throat-cutting and bleeding out.”

Luo Ren said, “If a person’s consciousness merges with the evil talisman, it’s truly a terrifying thing.”

“That time with the fishing line puppet, Liu Shuhai, and my uncle were killed under the complete control of the evil talisman. They had some resistance, but it was very weak. The Five Pearl Village incident is hard to evaluate—you can’t know what an old clam is thinking. But this time, it seems like a collaboration between that woman and the wild person, and also some degree of cooperation between the woman and the evil talisman.”

Indeed, the evil talisman kept the woman alive, while the woman carried out what the talisman “wanted” to do, such as creating the hanging scene.

Mu Dai felt a chill down her spine: “We previously speculated that the evil talisman can’t move on its own; it needs to possess a living being to walk and act. Although it’s unusual, it can’t bring the dead back to life, so when that woman was possessed, though at death’s door, part of her consciousness remained. But because she died so tragically, this consciousness must have been filled with resentment, which is why she and the talisman… cooperated?”

Luo Ren didn’t deny it: “Thinking about it, those previously possessed by the evil talisman who committed atrocities were honest, rule-following people. Even someone like Zhang Guanghua, morally lacking as he was, others said he would never dare to kill.”

Yan Hongsha suddenly blurted out: “The evil talisman is changing.”

It was indeed changing, at least in its selection of vessels, constantly experimenting.

The first one seemed to choose randomly and recklessly, grabbing whoever it could, with violent and direct methods, not hiding its tracks.

The second one took a different approach, choosing a clam instead of a person, using water to control water, and being more covert—the massive underwater painting would have been very difficult to discover without coincidental circumstances.

The third one…

The third one began setting up diversions and operating behind the scenes, as if playing mind games.

Mu Dai trembled with a sudden chill and moved closer to Luo Ren: “Do you think there might be a fourth and fifth talisman? Could an evil person encounter the talisman and instantly form a partnership?”

Luo Ren smiled: “It’s bound to happen. Like attracts like; those with matching dark energies will certainly find each other.”

He said, “I’m not afraid of the wild person. They’re just animals with some brute strength, larger bodies than humans, capable of walking upright. And honestly, I’m not afraid of that woman either. She just looks frightening and moves swiftly and eerily from living at the bottom of the well. Hit her with a punch, and she’ll still feel pain.”

Yan Hongsha asked: “Then what are you afraid of?”

Luo Ren didn’t answer. He lowered his head and looked at part of the character he had just written.

It was the character for “human.”

After a pause, he raised his head and said: “Let’s bury Hongsha’s grandfather first.”

The shovel was left in the stone house. Without a suitable tool at hand, and hesitant to leave Old Yan’s body alone for fear of what might happen, Luo Ren hesitated. Yan Hongsha softly said, “Let’s bury my grandfather in the treasure well.”

The well had been the cause of harm initially, and now it was the cause of death. If he hadn’t been so obsessed with this final score, he wouldn’t have met this fate.

Since they couldn’t share life, they would share the same grave.

How ironic, when you think about it.

Luo Ren let out a long sigh, picked up the machete from the ground, and bent down to cut the rope suspending Old Yan’s body.

The well was very deep. It felt like a long time passed before they heard the “splash” of the body hitting the bottom, like a blow to the heart, leaving an indentation that made breathing difficult for a while before recovering.

They placed the weight-bearing wooden board back down, pushed soil to fill the hole, with the final handful of earth placed by Yan Hongsha, who patted it firmly, pressing it down again and again.

In the future, as more people walk by, this place will become a path.

Secrets are all covered by the yellow earth. You never know which spot you casually walk over might have stories sleeping beneath, several feet under.

Luo Ren said, “It’s getting late, let’s head back.”

Returning to the stone house again, they’d lost count of how many nights they’d stayed there.

The fire was lit in the stove. Yan Hongsha sat on the edge of the bed, hugging her knees and staring blankly.

Mu Dai went over, sat beside her, and asked softly: “Do you have anyone else at home?”

“No one left.”

With those words, an overwhelming sadness washed over her, and tears suddenly streamed down her face.

Mu Dai patted her back: “It’s okay. I don’t even know who my parents are. My mother abandoned me when I was little.”

Yan Hongsha turned to look at her.

What’s the best way to comfort someone upset? Not “pull yourself together” or “it will get better,” but rather “it’s okay, look, I’ve had it worse than you.”

It’s not about right or wrong; it’s human nature. When she’s half-submerged in a quagmire and you’re about to go under completely, she might feel a little better.

Mu Dai looked into her eyes: “After we go back, don’t stay in Kunming. Such a big house, living alone, it’ll feel so empty. Settle your debts and affairs there, then come to Lijiang. We’re all there—plus Cao Yanhua and Yi Wansan. It’s lively with more people.”

Saying this, her heart sank first—they still didn’t know where Cao Yanhua and Yi Wansan were.

She mustered her spirits: “If you can’t find a place, you can stay with me. Or borrow Luo Ren’s place; he has many rooms. And when we get back, the Phoenix Tower might be opening. We can all help Uncle Zheng then, okay?”

Yan Hongsha smiled and said, “I want to sleep.”

Mu Dai quickly got up to make room for her, watched her lie down, and covered her with the only silk blanket Luo Ren had brought in his backpack.

Yan Hongsha fell asleep quickly, the tear stains still wet on her face.

Mu Dai stared at her absently. When she was little, Hong Yi told her fairy tales about a fairy who delivered beautiful dreams, choosing pretty, well-behaved girls and, in the quiet of night, coming to their pillows to take out a beautiful dream and blow it gently into their ears.

She wished she had that ability to give Hongsha a good dream.

Mu Dai tiptoed out, quietly closing the door.

Luo Ren had been standing outside, leaning on the railing, seemingly lost in thought. Hearing the sound, he turned to look at her.

Mu Dai looked back at him, and as she did, a sudden sadness welled up. She took two steps forward and stopped in front of him.

Luo Ren reached out and stroked her hair: “Does little pocket need comfort?”

“I need comfort.”

Luo Ren smiled, paused, and opened his arms: “Come here.”

Often, not many words are needed; an embrace is the best consolation.

Mu Dai rested against his chest, quietly listening to his heartbeat, and murmured: “We still haven’t found Cao Fatty and Yi Wansan.”

“Those two aren’t in that woman’s cave. Three possibilities: they’re dead, wandering around the mountain like headless flies, or at the female wild person’s dwelling.”

The words “they’re dead” made Mu Dai’s body shudder.

Luo Ren noticed: “This possibility is the least likely. If they were attacked by hornets, their bodies should be nearby, but we’ve searched the surroundings and found nothing.”

He continued: “Mu Dai, don’t underestimate those two. Their martial arts might not be great, but consider this: Yi Wansan was driven out of his village in his teens, struggling to survive. Cao Yanhua ruled over the Liberation Monument, experienced with all sorts of people and situations. They might handle things no worse than you, possibly even better.”

Mu Dai said softly, “I hope they’re better than me. I hope they’re both strong.”

Luo Ren’s embrace seemed magical. Her eyelids grew heavy, impossible to open. Her head moved against his chest, seeking the most comfortable position.

Luo Ren sensed her body starting to slump: “Mu Dai, you’re falling asleep.”

“Then don’t let me fall.”

Luo Ren leaned back slightly, letting her rest at an angle, tightening his arm around her waist, and said: “How could I?”

He asked: “Do you want to go inside?”

She shook her head: “Let’s talk for a while.”

“About what?”

What to talk about? Suddenly, an image flashed in Mu Dai’s mind.

She said, “I had a nightmare a few days ago.”

Luo Ren smiled. He looked down at Mu Dai, reached out his finger, and gently caressed her lips. She felt ticklish and, with eyes closed, her brow twitched very slightly.

With such mountains and the series of events that had occurred, it would be difficult not to have nightmares. Luo Ren asked: “Did you dream of wild people?”

Mu Dai shook her head, her consciousness hazy, as if in a dream.

She sighed: “I was hit by a car.”

Luo Ren was silent for a while. Her breathing was shallow, and she felt the dream like a huge, soft, black cloud she was about to plunge into headfirst. Suddenly, Luo Ren asked: “What else? Did you only dream about the car?”

“Someone was dragging me, dragging and dragging, then threw me onto the road… and the car came.”

“What did that person look like?”

“Couldn’t see, rouge-colored, amber-colored…”

He wanted to ask more, but she grew annoyed, nuzzling her head against his chest resentfully, as if saying: Don’t bother me while I’m sleeping.

Dragging her, throwing her onto the road, opening her eyes but unable to see clearly, only seeing rouge-colored, amber-colored…

So that person must have been bending down, dragging her from the shoulder.

What she saw was that person’s… neck.

A hint of darkness flashed in Luo Ren’s eyes. He lowered his head and gently kissed Mu Dai on the lips.

A spark can start a wildfire. Before the fire ignites, one should remove the grass.

Meanwhile, the two “cave-dwelling heroes”—well, the strong ones in the mountain cave—were finalizing their strategy before the female wild person returned.

—”Friendly, we must be friendly!”

—”Try everything, Brother Sansan! For survival, there’s no shame. Whether it’s a white cat or a black cat, catching mice is what makes it a good cat!”

—”Judging from the wild person’s drawings, Brother Sansan, she might have artistic genes. The hearts of artists are connected. Why not quickly draw something on the wall? Overwhelm her with your talent! Completely… overwhelm her!”

—”Damn, damn, damn, she’s coming back! Quick, everyone to your positions…”