The small joy in Yan Hong Sha’s heart from rescuing Yi Wansan vanished with his account of what happened.

Burying Yi Wansan alive was an attempt to kill him. If they could do such a thing to Yi Wansan, what might have happened to Mu Dai and the others?

Growing increasingly anxious, she asked: “Yi Wansan, should we call the police?”

“We’ll discuss reporting this later. First, we need to determine the whereabouts of Mu Dai and Luo Ren. If they’re alive, we need to see them; if dead… we need to see their bodies.”

These words sounded so ominous that Hong Sha’s nose stung with emotion. After thinking, she asked: “Is it just because you saw Qing Shan digging a hole and couldn’t defeat him that you’re assuming the death talisman is on him?”

Yi Wansan shook his head: “No, there are many reasons.”

First, according to Cao Yanhua, Qing Shan was a close brother to him, a simple village person. His sudden personality change, not even sparing his brother, was worth contemplating.

Second, when he and Mu Dai arrived at Cao Family Village, they had only discussed insurance with the people. They hadn’t revealed their true intentions at all, so how had they been targeted?

He said, “This indicates that from the letter onward, it was a deliberate trap to lure us here.”

At this point, he changed the subject: “Do you remember what happened in Nantian County?”

Hong Sha nodded, but what did this have to do with Nantian?

Yi Wansan said, “I have a theory about what Shen Gun said—whether death talismans can transmit information to each other.”

In Nantian County, the death talisman had a special property that Luo Ren called “memory implantation.” For example, Mu Dai’s image was implanted in Wu Yuping’s mind, but after the talisman’s influence faded, Wu Yuping quickly forgot who Mu Dai was.

At that time, the fourth death talisman had targeted them one by one because it knew they possessed the power of the Phoenix-Luan Buckle—the evil wind couldn’t affect Mu Dai, so she was exposed first; his blood caused Ma Chao to behave abnormally, exposing him second; Cao Fatty fell victim at the Tengma Sculpture Platform, becoming the third to be exposed.

The fourth death talisman had at least collected images of the three of them.

Yi Wansan lowered his voice: “It was dealt with before it had a chance to know that you and Luo Ren also possessed the power of the Phoenix-Luan Buckle.”

So what? Hong Sha still couldn’t guess the connection.

“So I have a hypothesis: the fifth death talisman may only be targeting Cao Yanhua, Mu Dai, and me. In other words, if talismans can indeed communicate with each other, the fourth talisman only transmitted images of me, Mu Dai, and Cao Yanhua. You and Luo Ren should be invisible and safe.”

That wasn’t right. Hong Sha couldn’t help objecting: “But there’s also no word from Luo Ren.”

“If he keeps a low profile and doesn’t reveal his intentions to anyone, I don’t think the death talisman would target him actively—but if he directly exposed himself, Qing Shan would certainly go after him too.”

Hong Sha suddenly realized: “So now, only I…”

Yi Wansan nodded: “If Luo Ren is really in trouble, you’re the only one left who can move around under the death talisman’s nose to gather information.”

Saying this, he paused, looking vigilantly at their surroundings.

It was pitch black and completely silent, with only raindrops connecting heaven and earth.

“Hong Sha, tomorrow is the wedding day. After you enter the village, don’t mention any of us, and no one will suspect you. This way, you can secretly keep an eye on Qing Shan and might be able to follow him to find some clues.”

Yi Wansan rarely spoke with such a serious tone, making Hong Sha’s heart tighten: “But I need to create an identity, right? A stranger suddenly appearing would be suspicious.”

Hmm… this was indeed a problem.

Although Luo Ren’s phone had no signal, the clock still worked. Seeing it was almost eleven, he declared: “Sleep.”

Mu Dai said, “We still don’t know if Yi Wansan and the others are alive or dead.”

The implication was clear: with friends’ fates unknown, how could one sprawl out and sleep with a clear conscience?

Luo Ren lowered his head, pulling at a rope: “If you can only get out in seven days, and only learn about Yi Wansan and the others in seven days, will you not eat, drink, or sleep for all seven days? Will that move heaven?”

Mu Dai wanted to argue but couldn’t find the words.

Luo Ren said, “At appropriate times, learn to make the best of the situation. If you’re powerless, rest on schedule to maintain your strength. This way, if a fight breaks out in a couple of days, at least you can contribute.”

Having wrapped the rope properly, he stood up and shined his flashlight around.

“How have you been sleeping these past days?”

“On the ground.”

Luo Ren frowned: “On the ground?”

Mu Dai looked at him sideways: “What else? Could I sleep in the sky?”

Luo Ren ignored her, walking to the rock wall to examine the protruding stones—the lower part of the wall wasn’t as smooth as the upper part, with numerous protruding edges.

He wound the rope end around one of the stone edges.

Gradually, Mu Dai understood what he was doing. He had selected two opposing points at a suitable distance and used the hanging rope to create a simple rope bed. The gaps in the middle were very large, but at least it was the beginning of a hammock off the ground.

No wonder he had criticized her for sleeping on the ground. Determined to find fault, Mu Dai said: “These gaps are too big, bigger than my head. I’ll fall through.”

Luo Ren continued to ignore her, first sitting tentatively on the edge of the rope bed to test its weight, then slowly lying down. The rope bed swayed a few times but held firm.

After watching for a while, Mu Dai asked: “What about me?”

Luo Ren said, “Where am I supposed to find another rope for you?”

He gestured beside him: “Here.”

“Sleep together?”

“What did you expect? Did you want me to give you the bed and sleep on the ground myself?”

Mu Dai walked to the bedside, looking down at him: “Hong Yi taught me from childhood not to stay out overnight and not to sleep with men. She said it wasn’t proper.”

Luo Ren found it both amusing and irritating: in this dark, damp, pathless place, she was still being particular?

Unexpectedly, Mu Dai changed her tone: “But I think it’s fine.”

As she considered how to climb up—the bed was truly too rudimentary—Luo Ren reached out, grabbing her arm with one hand and encircling her waist with the other. He first lifted her onto himself, then, once the rope bed stabilized, pushed the edge of the rope outward with one hand and placed her beside him.

Mu Dai had never slept in a rope bed or hammock before. With all the swaying, how could she sleep?

She tilted her head back but found nothing there—indeed, the gaps were larger than her head.

She squirmed and shifted, trying to move up or down. After several attempts, as her head moved down again, it suddenly rested on Luo Ren’s arm.

He said, “That’s enough, stop fidgeting.”

Mu Dai fell silent, stealing a glance sideways. Luo Ren’s arm stretched across, holding the edge of the rope, providing support behind her head.

His arm was firm and hard to lie on. With half her body against his, Mu Dai’s heart pounded fiercely.

To sleep like this all night…

Just as she was thinking this, her stomach suddenly growled.

Mu Dai felt embarrassed, sensing that Luo Ren might be laughing at her.

She felt she should explain.

So she said, “I’m hungry.”

Luo Ren didn’t respond. Though he knew there was little hope, he carefully searched his pockets with minimal movement and unexpectedly touched plastic wrapping.

He remembered now. At that small grocery store, he had bought two chocolate bars, eaten one, and saved the other.

What an unexpected delight.

Just as he was about to take it out, the rope bed swayed heavily. Mu Dai was struggling with something, explaining to him: “I’m tightening my belt so I won’t feel so hungry.”

Luo Ren found this both amusing and exasperating. After a moment’s thought, he withdrew his hand without taking out the chocolate.

Mu Dai continued sighing, as if muttering to herself or discussing with him.

“I want to eat xiaolongbao, the shrimp ones with a bit of crab meat, and fresh soup inside. With thin skin that you bite open, then slurp the soup, and dip in some vinegar.”

Was she painting herself a feast to quench her thirst by thinking of plums? Luo Ren was getting hungry just listening to her.

“And roast duck. Luo Ren, have you had it? I haven’t, but Hong Yi has. She said the meat is crispy, with the duck skin a layer of golden yellow, sliced thinly. You can wrap it in pancakes with green onion and sweet bean sauce, roll it up and take a bite…”

“My stomach has gone completely flat…”

Luo Ren laughed heartily, unable to resist reaching out and covering her lower abdomen.

His touch met cool, delicate skin. Luo Ren was startled, suddenly remembering that he had seen earlier how the front hem of her clothes had worn through.

“Are you injured?”

“Just a few scrapes, I think.”

Luo Ren became careful, his fingertips gently tracing along the uninjured areas.

A man is still a man. In just these few touches, he had already learned the curve of her waistline, the texture of her lower abdomen muscles, and in his imagination, the direction of those curves.

Luo Ren’s throat felt a bit dry.

He heard Mu Dai say: “The ancients did have a point.”

His heart jumped, and his hand suddenly stopped. What had the ancients said? That men are all creatures of food and lust?

She said: “It’s true that only when you’re well-fed and warm can you think of carnal desires. I’m starving right now, so when you do this… I don’t feel much.”

So, when he touched her like this, she felt nothing? Not only was her heart not racing, but she was ignoring his living presence and thinking about ancients who had been dead for thousands of years?

Feeling a surge of nameless heat, Luo Ren rolled over and embraced her, one hand still supporting her head, the other sliding from her waist directly to her back. His fingers made a slight movement, causing Mu Dai’s mind to go blank as the binding around her chest suddenly loosened. Then his hand slid to her chest.

Everything happened so quickly that Mu Dai’s body tensed, and she instinctively let out a hissing intake of breath.

Luo Ren lowered his head, moving to her ear, asking softly: “Do you feel something now?”

He didn’t need her to answer; he could feel her rapid breathing. Moving closer to her face, he felt its warmth. After the initial tension, her body trembled beneath his hand.

The cave was extremely quiet. Due to their recent movements, the rope bed swayed gently. Outside, perhaps it had stopped raining, or perhaps the rain had become very fine. After a long wait, they heard only a single drop of water fall with a tick.

Her eyes were wide open, with bright clarity reflecting her uncertainty.

Luo Ren didn’t want to frighten her. He had always thought of Mu Dai as a young girl, believing that everything between men and women should progress slowly—holding hands, then gentle embraces and kisses.

But on second thought, since things had already gone this far, it seemed wrong not to take some advantage.

He lowered his head and sealed her soft lips with his own.

She was more sensitive than he had imagined—her chest, the nape of her neck, the hollow of her back, her shoulder blades. When the kiss ended, his hand slid to her back, which was covered in a thin layer of damp sweat.

Luo Ren reached out to brush away her slightly disheveled hair and said softly, “Will you let me take you home as my wife?”

She was breathing heavily, neither saying yes nor no. After a pause, she suddenly tried to sit up, biting her lip and saying: “I won’t sleep with you anymore.”

Hong Yi’s words were right after all—don’t stay out overnight, and don’t sleep in the same bed with a man, even if it’s not a proper square bed, as something always happens.

Luo Ren laughed heartily, ruffling her hair and saying: “Then I’ll go sleep on the ground.”

He did get down. When he landed, the rope bed lightened and swayed from side to side, making her head dizzy.

Suddenly, it stabilized.

Luo Ren steadied the rope bed with one hand, bent down, caressed her lips, and said: “Here, open your mouth.”

He placed a small piece of chocolate into her mouth.