“Deep in the mountains, we don’t have much to offer you, Ms. Elysia.”
Bingyan poured Elysia a cup of hot water, adding a few mountain chrysanthemums.
Elysia accepted the tea with both hands, smiling. “Nonsense; this is lovely.”
The rustic cup, the clear, sweet tea, the fragrant chrysanthemums—Elysia’s words were sincere.
Bingyan offered a strained smile; her gaze occasionally fell on Elysia’s wheelchair.
“Bingyan, your mother… wasn’t originally from Xue Dong village, was she?”
Elysia raised her teacup, asking abruptly.
Bingyan started, her expression becoming uneasy. “How do you know?”
Elysia touched the wheelchair's handle. “The wheelchair has the Bo Tong Hospital logo. As far as I know, Bo Tong Hospital is in… Jingchuan City.” Elysia looked up at the impassive Bingyan.
She’d noticed the hospital logo because of Lilith.
She recalled Lilith’s first words to her, pointing out the hospital logo on her wheelchair.
Therefore… that man must also know that Bingyan’s mother was an outsider.
And that she came from a large city far from these deep mountains.
Bingyan hadn’t expected Elysia to notice, much less recognize the hospital logo—something most people wouldn’t remember—and was momentarily at a loss for how to respond.
After a moment, under Elysia’s curious gaze, Bingyan sighed. “You’re right. My mother… was from the city.”
As expected…
But why would a city girl end up in such a remote mountain village?
Even if she found love, a city girl wouldn't choose to spend her life in a village where electricity was a luxury.
Something was clearly missing from the picture.
Elysia, sensing Bingyan’s reluctance to discuss it further, steered the conversation elsewhere.
Due to her disability, Elysia had read extensively.
Few could match her breadth of knowledge.
Lilith, of course, was an exception; she deliberately limited the information she stored in her mind.
Thanks to Elysia’s efforts, Bingyan became more talkative.
After all, she hadn’t had anyone to converse with in years.
“Elysia, remember, never go out at night. Don’t even open the door a crack. And… during tomorrow’s ancestral rite, stay in your room; don’t come out.”
Elysia’s eyes sparkled with curiosity. “Why?”
Bingyan bit her lip, seemingly conflicted, but a strange emotion flickered in her narrow eyes. “Don’t ask. Just listen to me…”
Elysia nodded, sipping her chrysanthemum tea.
...
The village head’s house.
Liam admired a calligraphy scroll hanging on the wall, his expression subtly changing.
“I didn’t expect the village head to possess such an antique scroll.”
The village head, leaning on his cane, sat in a rocking chair, his brow furrowed.
Looking up, he glanced at Liam. “An heirloom; nothing special.”
The village head seemed downcast, likely due to Garrick’s body still in the village.
Liam smiled. “You’re cultured and refined, suggesting a distinguished lineage. I wonder… how did you end up in such poverty in these remote mountains?”
Liam’s words caught the village head’s attention; he looked up, meeting Liam’s seemingly sympathetic gaze.
“Ah… young man, you don’t understand. Our ancestors, to escape hardship, fled with their wealth and friends, hiding in these old Xue Dong mountains. Over time, the paths were overgrown, the fog obscured everything, and the way out was lost. We, their descendants, have remained in this village…”
The village head’s voice was filled with resignation and a hint of resentment.
Liam considered the reliability of this explanation.
The village head’s regretful expression lingered too long.
Generally, genuine human emotions are fleeting, not sustained for extended periods.
Therefore… if an expression lasts too long, the person is likely feigning it.
Even without these minor observations, Liam noticed inconsistencies in the village head’s story.
In this village, besides the village head, his granddaughter, and Xiao Ban, almost everyone had grotesque features.
Their skin was dark and rough; they were thin and gaunt, with bizarre faces.
What… was this old man hiding?
“I see…” Liam nodded, then, feigning interest, asked. “Village head, what is the ancestral rite? Can outsiders attend?”
The village head smiled, his wrinkled face resembling a blooming flower.
“Of course. We welcome… everyone.”
Liam smiled, then turned to leave, claiming he wanted to wander the village.
The village head watched him go without comment.
...
Lilith paused. In this strange village, everyone moved with hurried purpose.
They seemed to be working quickly while it was still daylight.
Lilith occasionally saw men lifting the black cloths covering cages, placing food and water inside.
The women inside were filthy, their faces contorted in madness, yet they made no sound.
What had driven these women mad?
Lost in thought, Lilith stopped before a dilapidated house.
The sky seemed to darken slightly.
This was the second point of the inverted triangle formed by the village houses.
Lilith had noticed something different earlier.
This house had no cage covered in black cloth in front of it.
Or perhaps… it was unoccupied.
Lilith took a step forward, slowly reaching out to touch the crumbling door.
BOOM—
The moment she touched it, images flooded her mind!
Lightning, a torrential downpour, mournful thunder that shook the night.
Everything was momentarily bleached, then plunged into inky blackness. A figure cried out to the heavens in the deluge.
Ancient, leafless trees, their branches like bones, stretched towards the sky, silently lamenting.
Fortunately… Lilith, with her unique perspective, quickly registered the bizarre change and withdrew her hand.
The images vanished.
But questions lingered.
What… had she seen?
“What are you doing!”
A furious roar came from behind Lilith.
Xiao Ban rushed forward and shoved her.
But Xiao Ban saw the shock on Lilith's face.
“You… did you see it too?”
Lilith seemed to snap out of it; she glanced at Xiao Ban, her face pale, and nodded.
Xiao Ban’s face turned ashen. He looked at Lilith.
“Follow me…”
...
Adrian walked ahead; Elena followed silently, maintaining a distance.
Elena recalled her first encounter with Adrian at the Du City annex; he’d politely nodded.
He was kind and considerate, but such people were often the coldest…
Getting close to him was difficult.
Then, she entered Fog Gathering and saw Adrian again!
No one knew Elena’s feelings then; after the initial fear and anxiety, joy had overwhelmed her despair.
Adrian was surprised by her appearance; he was warm and caring, constantly reminding her to be cautious and survive.
He strategized with her, shared his experiences, and pointed out dangers.
This moved Elena deeply; she believed their bond was strong.
But… she was wrong.
Even in Fog Gathering, his kindness remained unchanged; he treated everyone the same.
Overwhelmed, Elena glanced at Adrian, who was walking ahead in silent contemplation. A wave of weariness washed over her.
She was different from Adrian and the others—successful, intelligent people who believed they could escape the curse and return to normal life.
But… she never believed that; she understood this after failing her assessment.
If life were a long story, hers was just that of an ordinary person.
She’d realized early on that she wasn’t a protagonist, never at the center of attention.
Looks, background, intelligence, achievements, abilities… if there were a competition for ordinariness, she’d likely win.
… An ordinary person like her, simply keeping pace, was already her limit.
She didn’t believe she could escape Fog Gathering.
This time… or perhaps the next, she would die.
Dying in this ancient, decaying spacetime, buried in her mundane story.
“Adrian…”
Elena stopped, calling softly.
The contemplative Adrian paused, looking at her questioningly.
“What is it?”
Elena opened her mouth, then saw Adrian’s furrowed brow.
Her gaze darkened; she shook her head.
“Nothing… I was just wondering if everyone had any insights…”
“We don’t need to worry about Liam or Lena. As for Lilith…” Adrian paused, finding Lilith difficult to describe.
“Actually… I can’t quite figure her out.”
This surprised Elena. She curiously asked, “Isn’t Ms. Hollow completely ordinary?”
Adrian shook his head firmly; he recalled his conversations with others.
Everyone’s impression of Lilith was similar—artificial.
Only Liam had commented: “She hides herself too deeply; so much so… she might have forgotten who she really is.”
“Forget her; I’m more concerned about Corbin and the newcomer, Elysia,” Adrian said, looking at a nearby cage and squatting down. “He’s decisive, which is good and bad. As for Ms. Elysia… her disability is a major problem.”
“Yes…” Elena nodded. “Ms. Elysia is unfortunate; disabled and now facing this…”
If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.
Adrian remained noncommittal.
He didn’t find Elysia unfortunate, but… her mental fortitude was far stronger than most able-bodied people.
He was merely concerned about her physical limitations.
Adrian said nothing more, squatting to remove the black cloth from the cage.
Remembering Tobias’s experience, he maintained a safe distance.
The woman inside remained silent.
Her face was covered in caked dirt, obscuring her features, but her eyes were large and lifeless. Her expression was ferocious, her lips bloodless, her hair matted and dirty. She was frail, seemingly as delicate as paper, vulnerable to the slightest breeze.
“…Hello?”
Adrian waved, greeting her.
The woman remained ferocious, unresponsive.
“She’s probably completely mad; she can’t understand us…” Elena looked at the woman with a complex expression.
Who had driven them mad?
And why?
Even if they were mad, why was their aggression so intense?
“Hello? Can you understand me?” Adrian waved again, greeting her.
After nearly a minute of trying, Adrian replaced the black cloth.
Then, he moved to another cage, repeating his words.
“Hello? Can you understand me?”
Watching Adrian’s tireless attempts, Elena didn’t know what to say.
Did he believe a miracle might occur? That some were faking madness?
If they were faking, why would their families lock them in cages? Surely the villagers had already verified that all the women were truly insane.
But Adrian was sometimes stubbornly infuriating.
If he didn’t try each cage, he wouldn’t be himself.
Thinking this, Elena chuckled at his back, imitating his actions.
...
“Sit.”
Xiao Ban said, his expression grim.
Lilith looked at his pickaxe leaning against the wall; fresh mud clung to it.
“Is this your house?”
Lilith surveyed the surroundings. She hadn't expected the final point of the inverted triangle to be Xiao Ban’s house.
“What… did you see?” Xiao Ban’s eyes were fixed on Lilith’s face, searching for any sign of deception.
Lilith didn’t hesitate. “A stormy night, a weeping woman, withered branches.”
Xiao Ban’s face paled; he whispered, “It’s her… it’s her…”
Lilith watched him silently; Xiao Ban’s behavior had been odd from the start.
Yesterday, when the village head invited them to stay, Xiao Ban’s words had been strange.
It didn’t sound like the resentment of someone arguing with Tobias; it was more like a plea, a request for the village head to let them leave.
Lilith believed she wasn’t the only one who’d noticed the subtext.
“Who is she?” Lilith asked.
Xiao Ban’s expression turned strange. He looked at Lilith. “Do you believe… in ghosts?”
The air grew colder. Lilith nodded. “I do.”
Xiao Ban smiled, staring at Lilith. “Good. I’ll tell you…”
Lilith’s heart stirred; she watched him intently.
“That dilapidated house… a woman died there. A blood sacrifice.”
Xiao Ban’s words were few but meaningful, chilling to hear.
“Blood sacrifice?”
Lilith showed little reaction, despite the chilling words.
Xiao Ban found Lilith’s calm response peculiar but didn’t dwell on it.
He nodded.
“Xue Dong village isn’t its original name. It was originally called Wushen Village.”
“A small sacrifice every year; a large sacrifice every ten years.”
“So, Wushen Village held a small sacrifice annually and a large one every decade?”
“That’s right.”
Xiao Ban confirmed Lilith’s understanding.
A small sacrifice for the gods; a large sacrifice of blood…
Clearly, the god here wasn’t a deity but… a spirit, a consciousness.
“Isn’t it… stupid? In this day and age, such a ridiculous custom? Unbelievable, right?” Xiao Ban looked at Lilith with a twisted expression.
Lilith nodded firmly. “Utterly stupid.”
“Right!”
Xiao Ban’s eyes gleamed; excitement flushed his face.
“A bunch of heartless, shameless, ignorant, selfish bastards! They deserve their misery; they deserve to be trapped in Wu Shen Village! Hahaha!”
Xiao Ban’s emotions were uncontrolled, but Lilith let him vent.
Suddenly, Lilith remembered something. Looking around for a calendar, she asked, “What’s the date tomorrow?”
Xiao Ban, having calmed down, glanced at Lilith. “October 1st.”
He used the old lunar calendar.
October 1st, old lunar calendar…
Lilith looked at Xiao Ban. “Do you know what October 1st is on the old lunar calendar?”
Xiao Ban started, then shook his head.
Growing up in the village, he only knew two holidays: New Year’s and the ancestral rite.
Lilith’s voice was cold. “Tomorrow is Han Yi Festival, also called Ming Yin Festival, Ghost Head Day.”
The ancestral rite and Ghost Head Day coinciding was no coincidence.
Lilith never believed in coincidence.
If everything Xiao Ban said was true, then… the ghost haunting the village was likely her.
The woman sacrificed last year.
“What’s her name?”
Lilith asked.
“Her…” Xiao Ban’s expression was complex—nostalgia, fear, confusion, even… admiration.
“Her name was Freya. She… was a very good woman.”
Lilith nodded, standing. “I have something to do; I’ll be going.”
Xiao Ban ignored Lilith; after mentioning Freya’s name, he seemed lost in deep memory, remaining unfocused even after Lilith left.
Lilith glanced back at Xiao Ban, her thoughts turning not to Freya, but to… Xiao Ban’s role in last year’s ancestral rite, or perhaps… in this entire chain of events.
...
After leaving the village head’s house, Liam headed straight for the back mountain.
He’d learned that tomorrow’s ceremony would be held deeper in the mountains beyond the village.
The sky was overcast; the morning sun had disappeared.
Villagers occasionally glanced at him, but not after he entered the forest. There were no fields nearby.
Entering the woods, Liam sensed something was wrong.
It was an indefinable feeling… but it was deeply unsettling, as if… continuing would lead to disaster.
Reason told him to stop.
But… this was Fog Gathering; he couldn’t deceive himself. He needed to see the ceremony site.
Not going would likely result in dire consequences.
Liam found himself in a difficult situation; then, a voice called from deeper in the woods: “Hey? You’re here, too?”
It was Tobias.
Following the sound, Liam saw not only Tobias but also Mira with her dog, Leopold, and the taciturn Alaric.
Except for Evelyn, who remained at the house with her husband’s body, they were all here.
But Liam noted Tobias’s phrasing.
“Did you see my friend?” Liam asked.
“Yes… it was Corbin… He said he’d come with us, but he disappeared,” Leopold said.
Hearing their story, Liam’s heart sank; he knew… something had happened to Corbin.
Looking at the others, Liam had an idea.
“He might be lost in the woods. Would you… help me look for him?”
This wasn’t an unreasonable request; after some hesitation, they agreed.
“Let’s… go.”
Liam nodded, finally making his decision and stepping into the woods.
At that moment, his internal alarm bells went off!
An overwhelming sense of suffocation gripped his heart, like… a Fog Gathering summons.
Something… was wrong!
Liam trailed behind, his gaze flitting between the four.
Then, his heart pounded; he focused on one figure.
Something… was wrong with him!
Just as Liam noticed the strangeness, Tobias stopped, turning to look at Liam.
“Why are you walking so slowly?”
Liam’s heart pounded wildly, but he was the longest-surviving member of Fog Gathering.
He showed no surprise, even managing to control his racing heartbeat.
“I haven’t exercised lately; I’m a little tired,”
Liam replied.
Tobias studied him, then smiled. “Then, you go ahead.”
Liam felt a chill down his spine, but he couldn’t refuse.
He nodded. “Okay.”
...
Cold.
Chillingly cold.
Liam felt a terrifying, malevolent gaze on his back.
But… he couldn’t turn around.
What now…
What should he do?
Liam was certain a ghost was among them, but… he didn’t know how it would kill him.
To kill, it needed to fulfill a certain condition; that hidden condition was his only chance of survival.
Liam knew Corbin was likely dead.
He desperately wanted to know what Corbin had encountered before his death; if he knew… he might be able to decipher the hidden path to survival.
For now, he could only proceed cautiously.
He could only… walk with the ghost.
...
Xue Dong village.
While Liam was trapped in the mountains, something happened in the village.
More than ten people gathered outside a house; the village head was quickly summoned.
Adrian, Elena, Lilith, and Lena arrived at the scene.
“What happened?”
Lena asked.
“I don’t know,” Adrian shook his head, glancing at Lilith and Lena. “We just arrived.”
Lena frowned, uneasy. Looking up at the sky, she said, “It’s almost noon.”
Her meaning was clear.
They were supposed to meet at noon; Liam, Corbin, and Elysia should have returned, but… they were nowhere to be seen.
They hoped they were… safe.
The village head, leaning on his cane, was given a clear path.
His granddaughter wasn’t with him today.
“Cough… cough… Open the door.”
The village head said softly.
Two villagers, without a word, stepped forward and gently opened the door.
Despite the crowd, the action caused a commotion.
“Flap flap flap flap—”
Several black birds flew out, causing the villagers to recoil.
But… the real horror was inside.
The roof seemed to be leaking.
Dim light illuminated the damp ground; it was gloomy and desolate.
Water dripped from the eaves, pooling on the ground.
Likely due to soaking, the corpse emitted a strong stench.
“Aaah!!!”
“Li Lao Si! It’s Li Lao Si!”
“How… how could this be…? How…”
Screams of horror erupted; Lilith and the others exchanged glances.
This was the first time they’d seen such intense emotion from these strangely featured villagers.
The village head’s eyes flickered, but he forced himself to remain calm. “What’s all the commotion?!”
“N-no… impossible! I saw Li Lao Si yesterday! How could he be like this? Impossible… this is absolutely impossible!” A gaunt, dark-skinned villager cried out in horror.
Lilith glanced at him and entered the house.
Adrian and the others followed.
Lilith knelt, carefully examining the corpse.
It was decaying, its flesh rotting.
Elena couldn’t hold back; she vomited.
Lena, also a woman, showed greater resilience, suppressing her discomfort and kneeling to examine the body.
“Judging by the decomposition, he’s been dead for a long time. It’s not what that man said; he couldn’t have been alive yesterday,”
Lena stated.
“Yes, the fatal wound is here.” Adrian pointed to the chest area; a clear wound, seemingly from a sharp object, had pierced the heart, causing death.
Lilith calmly cleared away some of the rotting flesh and maggots around the heart, examining it closely.
Then, she noticed something else.
Just as she was about to speak, a strange sound came from beneath the corpse.
The body was subtly vibrating!
Everyone’s faces turned pale!
“Reanimated corpse!”
“Run!”
Screams of terror echoed; the village head trembled, his lips quivering.
Then, his stomach rumbled.
“Gurgle—”
“Flap flap flap—”
A crow emerged from his clothes, flying out of his abdomen!
“Get away!”
“Cursed bird, get lost!”
The black crow circled above the villagers before flying away.
Lilith and Adrian simultaneously knelt, lifting the dead man’s clothes.
Even Lena couldn’t bear it, rushing to the side and vomiting.
Lilith and Adrian exchanged glances, both showing certainty in their eyes.
Bloodless Heart…
The first half of the riddle was fulfilled.
“It’s her! It has to be her! She’s come for revenge!”
A dark-skinned villager cried out in fear.
“Bang!”
The moment he finished speaking, the village head struck him with his cane, sending him reeling.
“Nonsense! Get lost!”
Adrian and the others were startled; this was the first time they’d seen the village head so enraged.
The villagers were subdued, but Lilith and the others sensed a deep fear among them…
“Please… leave. This is…” The village head’s clouded gaze fell on them; he was direct.
They didn’t linger, nodding and leaving.
Once they were clear of Li Lao Si’s house, Adrian stopped. “Something’s wrong. Judging by their tone, Li Lao Si isn’t the first recent death in Xue Dong village. Someone died before him.”
“Correct,” Lena said, a glint in her eyes. “Someone shouted, ‘It’s Li Lao Si this time.’ Meaning there was a last time, and a time before that.”
“But… how did Li Lao Si die?” Elena asked.
The heart wound had seemed obvious.
But… how had he actually died?
“In my opinion…” Adrian adjusted his glasses, frowning slightly. “The fatal wound to the heart was the cause of death.”
Lilith shook her head.
“No… I don’t think so.”
“Oh?” Adrian was startled, looking at Lilith. “Ms. Hollow, what do you think?”
Lilith looked up, emerging from her thoughts. “He was killed twice.”
“Once by a person, once… by a ghost.”
Lilith’s statement left the three speechless, unsure of her meaning.
Lilith continued, “I examined the wound; the heart wound was from a blade. It was small, a single, fatal blow; the attacker was skilled and precise.”
She paused. “The abdominal wound… was like… a large claw tearing through the flesh.”
Lilith’s words evoked terrifying images, which they quickly suppressed.
“Regardless, I think… we should investigate all the deaths in this village,” Adrian said.
“Also, what about the villagers who saw Li Lao Si alive yesterday? His body couldn’t have decomposed this much in a single day,” Lena frowned.
“Perhaps… like Ms. Hollow’s last task, the ghost can disguise itself as someone else?” Elena suggested.
Silence fell.
Except for the incident with Freya’s door, Lilith hadn’t encountered any surreal phenomena and couldn’t speculate.
“Let’s see. Everyone needs to be careful…” Adrian rubbed his nose wearily. Two consecutive Fog Gathering tasks had left him exhausted.
More concerning was the broken rule: cursed victims were usually skipped in the next task. This rule… was broken.
A terrifying thought occurred to Adrian.
Perhaps… the so-called Fog Gathering rules weren’t “revealed” by Fog Gathering itself, but rather, deduced by them through repeated life-or-death tasks… patterns.
The patterns weren’t rules.
Were these patterns merely coincidental occurrences?
Were their assumptions fixed beliefs, self-deception?
If so… Fog Gathering had no rules, no concept of breaking them…
And those who'd built their defenses on these assumptions… might experience a complete mental collapse.
Lilith glanced at Adrian. “Liam, Corbin, and Elysia are missing. We need to find them.”
Lilith’s words surprised them again; looking at her calm face, they saw no pretense—she was serious.
Adrian’s gaze shifted; he nodded. “Yes, but prioritize your safety; don’t force it.”
While outwardly agreeing, who would willingly risk their own safety to save others?
The four split up again, their view of Lilith significantly altered.
She was strange, but had good character and was intelligent.
That was enough.
One of Lilith’s goals had been to achieve this perception; it wasn't entirely a deception.
She was a good person; she truly believed that.
Whether or not that was her true nature was less important; what mattered was… people were less wary of good people. That was her intention…
The villagers had mentioned a woman.
Unsurprisingly, it was likely Freya.
Who was Freya?
What had happened to her?
These were Lilith’s next objectives.
Tomorrow was the ancestral rite, the final day of the task.
The most dangerous moment was approaching; she needed to prepare, finding all clues related to the deceased woman… Freya.
With that in mind, Lilith sought out Xiao Ban again.
She only knew his name.
“Knock knock knock…”
Lilith knocked.
Xiao Ban’s footsteps sounded; he opened the door, his expression strange.
“What is it?”
Lilith looked into his eyes. “Where is Freya buried?”
Xiao Ban started, then looked at her warily. “What do you want?”
Lilith looked at him. “Don’t you want revenge for her?”
Xiao Ban’s face changed; he stared at Lilith.
“Outsiders should mind their own business.”
Lilith’s gaze was calm. “Tell me where she’s buried.”
Xiao Ban’s expression shifted wildly, but Lilith’s impassivity put pressure on him.
After a moment, he pointed towards the back mountain.
“At the end of the village, through the forest, by the sacrificial grounds.”
Xiao Ban’s voice was hoarse, seemingly resentful.
But Lilith seemed unmoved, nodding. “Thank you.”
Xiao Ban watched her go, a strange smile on his face.
She was really going.
To the forest at the end of the village.
...
Bingyan’s house.
She listened to Elysia’s description with a stunned expression.
“The city has no night. Cars come and go; streetlights shine all night. It’s so bright you can barely see the stars. Tall buildings, concrete and steel, dazzling lights, vibrant and dazzling, like a dreamlike metropolis. It’s… a completely different world from the mountains.”
Elysia’s voice was gentle, like spring water slowly flowing into Bingyan’s heart, soothing her arid soul.
“Mother… came from there?”
Bingyan whispered; she couldn’t imagine the world Elysia described.
A place with no night, eternally illuminated…
“Ely!” Bingyan suddenly called out.
Elysia looked at her, noticing the intensity in her eyes.
“After tomorrow… we’ll leave here and go to the city!”
Elysia was surprised, then smiled. “Okay!”
“But…” Elysia hesitated. “I heard… you can’t leave Xue Dong village.”
Bingyan smiled, her gaze falling on her drawer. “We… can leave…”
Her joy was vibrant, unlike someone… living in the past.
Elysia gazed out the window, melancholic. Was this world… merely a past event in the real world?
What could they change by being guided here by Fog Gathering?
Just then, Elysia’s face paled; a chilling sensation surged from her heart.
Her heartbeat accelerated.
What…
Something… was wrong!
Fine sweat beaded on her forehead.
What was wrong?
Then, her body froze; she finally realized.
The window!
She’d carefully observed; this village had no windows!
What… had she been looking out of?