Chapter 234: A Mountain Suspended, A River Submerged (48)
Because the official in charge had lost contact halfway through, many matters that required his coordination had to be temporarily put on hold.
The public opinion team leader was nearly driven to death with anxiety.
Fortunately, this wasn’t the first time such an incident had occurred. All parties were already experienced and quickly resumed contact, seamlessly managing the situation and ensuring that public opinion on social media platforms was handled smoothly.
Meanwhile, the video platform had promptly lowered the livestream quality to the minimum. Thankfully, all sub-screens from the program team had been shut down, leaving only the main screen and Yan Shixun’s feed. This made things easier to manage, prevented viewers from seeing too many details, and kept the situation from escalating in popularity.
When the official finally appeared on the main screen, the public opinion leader let out a long sigh of relief. His tense body slumped back heavily in his chair in front of the computer, feeling as if he had just died and come back to life from exhaustion.
As for the other tasks that could be handled without the special department, they were temporarily taken over by Yang Binsheng of Binhai City, who coordinated with various parties and liaised with officials from the southern region.
However, there were still some matters that had to wait until the official recovered.
Song Ci’s older brother arrived swiftly at Mount Nanming by plane, taking the injured away for treatment first.
When he saw Song Ci, wrapped in a quilt and looking frail and sick, he was almost frightened to death.
Many of the guests were familiar with this manager from the Song family, but their impression of him had always been that of a stern and serious elite. This was the first time they saw him lose composure like this.
When the variety show celebrity escorted Nan Tian onto the plane, he couldn’t help but glance several more times at Song Ci’s brother, sighing with emotion — no matter how calm and rational a person might be outside, they always showed a softer side when it came to their family.
Because of this, the guests’ impression of the Song family also improved quite a bit.
As for the official in charge, he regained consciousness while being strapped to the stretcher and carried onto the plane, startled awake by the jostling.
“No need to worry, just focus on recovering.”
Yan Shixun stood with one hand in his pocket, looking down calmly at the official as he said, “Your stomach, this time, has gained vitality that doesn’t belong to you because of Mount Nanming. If it backfires, you’ll need to repay that vitality — and that could mean stomach cancer or even death. Get treatment before that happens.”
The official’s vision was blurry. Though his soul had returned after brushing past death, his body still lingered in the memory of dying. For now, it couldn’t synchronize, and even his brain’s control over his body was greatly diminished.
He looked dazedly at the mosaic in front of him, barely able to recognize that it was Yan Shixun. He opened his mouth, wanting to say something.
But his dry vocal cords couldn’t support the words he had in mind.
Yan Shixun understood the look in his eyes and reassured him, “The situation at Mount Nanming is being handled by the Yaoists from Haiyun Temple. You don’t need to worry — focus on surviving first.”
Yan Shixun succinctly explained what had happened before and after the official lost consciousness. He added, “Even though the guesthouse was outside Mount Nanming, the owner had just fetched river water from the mountain before you arrived. Since you didn’t know about this, you weren’t on guard and ended up falling into the trap.”
The official paused for a moment, his expression seemingly saying: The hostess looked so remorseful at the time. If I reject her concern now, it’ll only hurt her feelings.
Yan Shixun shrugged and said, “I know. But drinking that river water wasn’t entirely a bad thing.”
Upstream, chrysanthemum flowers had fallen into the river, infusing the water with strong vitality.
This was the very reason why the elderly of Longevity Village had maintained their health and longevity. That same vitality had rapidly soothed the inflammation and pain in the official’s stomach.
The elders of Longevity Village had, over the years, absorbed vitality that didn’t belong to them. Their karmic debt had reached a point beyond repayment. After Ritual Master passed away, under Ye Li’s power, they had sacrificed even their remaining lifespans in an attempt to return what they had stolen — yet even that wasn’t enough. They had turned into nothing more than piles of bone dust.
But the official had only drunk the river water briefly. Moreover, together with Yan Shixun and the others, he had helped rescue the trapped souls on Mount Nanming, allowing those suffering remnants to finally find peace.
So, although he had gained vitality that didn’t belong to him, its source was the very lives that had died on Mount Nanming. In that sense, karma was balanced. Unlike the elders of Longevity Village, he wouldn’t be burdened by a debt that cost his life. Instead, it truly helped heal his stomach.
As long as he got proper treatment before the vitality that wasn’t his left his body — while karma remained in balance — he would be fine.
In fact, this misfortune might turn out to be a blessing in disguise, offering his previously diseased organs a chance to fully recover.
After hearing all this, the official was visibly stunned.
It was a long time before he finally let out a sigh and, physically drained, closed his eyes once again.
After all the injured were evacuated, the rescue team began cleaning up the aftermath in Longevity Village.
Since every wooden panel had once been carved with chrysanthemum patterns — and no one could be sure if danger might resurface — the entire village was to be dismantled and burned, leaving no chance for resurgence.
During the cleanup, the rescue workers were horrified to discover that the homes of Longevity Village elders were filled with piles of dried bones and human flesh.
Chunks of flesh, cut from bodies, had been placed in the kitchens. The stripped bones were tossed into the firewood sheds. From extinguished stoves, they even dug out jawbones that had not been fully burned.
All of this pointed to one horrifying truth: the elders of Longevity Village had been feeding on the corpses of those who died there, using every last part of their bodies without leaving a trace.
Some members of the rescue team had darkened faces as they fought the urge to vomit.
When Yan Shixun was called over, he understood everything with just a single glance.
“Although the dead drifted upstream through the river to Longevity Village, what Ritual Master sought to create were creatures that were neither truly alive nor dead.”
Thinking of the differences he had seen in the hanging coffins, Yan Shixun said calmly, “Some of them managed to ‘revive’ inside the coffins and remained in the upstream village, living what Ritual Master called a happy life. But others didn’t come back to life, and those people…”
“They would fall into the river, become the nourishment from which Ritual Master drew life force, and eventually turn into decaying corpses, crawling back out of the river with twisted, horrific appearances.”
“Driven by resentment and hatred, they dragged newcomers into the river, biting into their bodies and souls, turning them into one of their own. They hated the villagers of Longevity Village for deceiving them.”
“And to avoid being attacked in revenge by these corpses…”
Yan Shixun’s eyes lowered to the chunks of flesh retrieved by the rescue team.
The thing these souls feared most was confronting their own death. So they were terrified of their own corpses. When they appeared near their burial grounds, their anger and fear would strengthen them greatly.
However, at the same time, they also feared approaching the ones responsible for their deaths, even as they hated them.
Thus, the elders of Longevity Village not only used the corpses of dead travelers as food, but also as a deterrent—just in case the corpses attacked by chance.
After all, the chrysanthemums and river water in the village altered memory. Once the sun set, the corpses used the darkness as cover to crawl out of the river.
They crept out silently, hiding in wardrobes, under bedboards, or in any gap or corner easily overlooked.
They stared outward with pairs of glowing red eyes, quietly waiting for someone in the wooden cottages to lower their guard.
And once the residents fell asleep—that was when the corpses struck.
The elders of Longevity Village had experienced longevity and were unwilling to let go of it, deeply resistant to death.
To outsiders who died before their eyes, they looked down with disdain, believing that corpses could never harm them.
Yet deep inside, they were terrified of the day those vengeful corpses would succeed.
So, they ate the dead, using their remains to intimidate the corpses.
After listening to Yan Shixun’s explanation, the rescue team was first stunned, then their faces twisted into undisguised disgust.
“Animals!”
A team member cursed through gritted teeth: “Respecting the elderly and caring for the young—this is definitely not the kind of elder we should respect!”
They stared at the neatly arranged body parts pulled out from the wooden cottages and gradually fell into silence.
One person removed their cap. Then a second, a third…
Everyone bowed their heads, mourning the dead in silence and sorrow.
Among these remains, who knew whose husband was whose, whose son had been lost.
Their families were still waiting for them to come home, believing they had grown tired of the outside world and chosen to settle in Nanming Mountain to live a peaceful life—or that the local environment had cured their illnesses.
But their families had no idea…
The ones they waited for had already died in Nanming Mountain.
Their bones lay in fragments, full of resentment and covered in wounds.
“All of these remains will be handed over to the authorities in the southern region, they’ll verify identities and match them with entry records and timestamps.”
The rescue team leader let out a heavy sigh, breaking the deathly silence: “But how are we supposed to tell their families…”
An older team member secretly wiped away tears, his voice choked. “If we don’t tell them, their families will keep hoping, believing they’re still alive. But if we do, then their deaths become real. How are their loved ones supposed to bear that?”
Everyone’s hearts felt unbearably heavy.
The Taoists didn’t stop for a moment—they were busy to the point of exhaustion.
Longevity Village was filled with lingering traces of strange vitality and burned corpses. The entire Nanming Mountain had been steeped in Ritual Master’s power for decades, disconnected from the natural order for a full twenty years.
Ordinary methods of exorcism no longer worked here. Evil spirits could be expelled, yes—but it wasn’t possible to dig up an entire mountain to cleanse all the evil inside.
The Taoists racked their brains, to the point of nearly pulling their hair out.
And when they followed the route provided by Yan Shixun up to Longevity Village and to the main peak of Nanming Mountain where the rituals were held, they were completely stunned by what they saw.
This place… could no longer be called part of the human world.
Because Yan Shixun had killed Ritual Master and severed his power, the half-dead villagers and the wooden cottages soaked in Ritual Master’s energy all disintegrated into ash.
All that remained for the Taoists to see was a scene of utter ruin.
Trees had toppled, the river was muddy, and broken wooden beams and poles lay scattered everywhere.
It was like the aftermath of a war—desolate, lifeless, and filled with the silence of death.
Along the narrow mountain paths of Nanming Mountain, barely wide enough for a person to pass, open coffins were placed everywhere.
The cliffs were covered with hanging coffins, crammed together in terrifying numbers.
Even the seasoned Taoists from Haiyun Temple were stunned at the sight.
“I’ve never seen… so many hanging coffins,”
Taoist Ma murmured, dazed. “To think Nanming Mountain hid such a vicious sacrificial rite…”
Though the Taoists of Haiyun Temple never neglected martial training, they still couldn’t compare to the seasoned and finely honed Yan Shixun. His agility and instincts were more akin to that of a great feline predator—quick, sharp, and precise.
He couldn’t do what Yan Shixun did—grabbing only the protruding rocks along the cliffside and swinging effortlessly between the mountains without ever missing a step.
The terrain of Nanming Mountain was extremely treacherous. The mountain paths had been worn out over decades by the footsteps of villagers who had died, and couldn’t be considered sturdy at all.
The mountain air was heavy with moisture, making the soil soft and impossible to compact. Occasionally, loose rocks would tumble down, making everyone worry if their next step would slip, or if they’d step onto unstable ground and fall into the abyss.
This was made even worse by the scattered coffins on the mountain road, which made the journey far more difficult for the Taoists.
The coffins were so wide that they completely blocked the narrow path, with parts even hanging over the edge. Although they seemed balanced for now, they still creaked and groaned in the cold, eerie mountain wind.
It was enough to make one’s heart leap with fear, imagining the coffins falling off the cliff at any moment.
The Taoists found themselves stuck, unable to move forward or backward, standing beneath the mountain trail, looking up in frustration, not knowing how to proceed.
After finishing matters in the downstream Longevity Village and safely escorting everyone from the program crew out of the mountains, Yan Shixun remembered the situation atop Nanming Mountain.
He was worried whether the Taoists could properly deal with the coffins on the path, so he made his way back.
But before even getting close to the uphill path, he heard the sound of a heated argument coming from ahead.
—More accurately, it was Taoist Wang single-handedly quarreling with the others.
Taoist Wang was furious. “I knew it! You old geezers must’ve bullied my junior brother while I wasn’t around!”
A Taoist, caught in the crossfire, exclaimed, “I didn’t! May the Boundless Heavenly Lord bless us—don’t say such nonsense!”
Another nearby Taoist, still confused and not quite caught up, tugged on Taoist Ma’s sleeve and quietly asked, “Taoist Wang’s junior brother? Who? I thought his master only took one disciple—him?”
Taoist Ma whispered back, “It’s Junior Brother Yan. Taoist Wang is close friends with Taoist Song, so he considers Song’s junior brother as his own. Whatever happens to Taoist Song’s junior brother is his business too. He didn’t have a junior brother before, so now he’s realizing how protective he actually is.”
The other Taoist whispered back, “Ha, you could tell just from how he treats his own disciple—super protective. But how did Song’s junior brother suddenly become his too? Did Taoist Song agree to that?”
Taoist Ma replied, “…He even scolded Taoist Song too. Back at the temple, when Taoist Song was, uh, teaching that Xingxing—no, I mean that disciple—Taoist Wang saw it and was furious. He said Taoist Song was playing favorites, not taking care of his own junior brother, and he scolded him for a long time. Taoist Song looked completely baffled.”
The Taoist nearby: “…………”
“What are you whispering about?”
Taoist Wang immediately turned toward them, sneering coldly, “Is this how you secretly badmouthed my junior brother before too?”
“He’s such a good kid! And look what you’ve done—now he’s too afraid to make friends openly!”
Taoist Wang’s voice trembled with anger and heartbreak. “He’s unmarried, the other guy’s unmarried—what a great match! If you lot ruin this, don’t blame me for not being polite!”
The Taoists: “……???”
They stared at each other in bewilderment, utterly confused how the topic had shifted to this.
Because during the last incident on the Yin path, many Taoists from Haiyun Temple had been seriously injured. The remaining Taoists involved had stayed behind in the outskirts of Binhai City, clearing away lingering dark energy on the roads and tracking down any ghost aura or magic artifacts left behind by the fallen evil ghost soldiers, to prevent harm to passersby or nearby villagers.
So, many of the Taoists who came to Nanming Mountain this time hadn’t been present when Taoist Wang angrily scolded the others.
Also, many of them were not familiar with Yan Shixun. Though they’d heard the name and knew he was the senior disciple of Hermit Chenyun and the sole nephew-disciple of the old master, they hadn’t interacted with him directly or knew anything in detail.
Now, upon hearing Taoist Wang’s accusations, most of them were completely baffled.
After a while, one of them hesitantly asked, “Uh… that disciple of Hermit Chenyun—does he already have a lover?”
A nearby Taoist seemed to realize something. “Oh oh, the young man we saw earlier—that’s his lover?”
“They got married?”
“Huh? That disciple of Hermit Chenyun looked so young—how is he already married?”
Taoist Wang heard their doubtful tone and instantly flew into a rage. “Hear that? You say you’re not being inappropriate, but it’s exactly because of comments like this that such a good kid feels isolated, afraid to even introduce his lover out loud!”
A Taoist pointed at himself in confusion. “Huh? Because of me?”
Taoist Wang nodded with conviction. “Yes!”
The Taoist: “…………?”
At that moment, Yan Shixun had just walked close enough to hear everything, and immediately turned expressionless, ready to leave.
But unexpectedly, Taoist Wang spotted him in an instant, and called out in both joy and concern, “Junior Brother Yan!”
He grabbed the sleeve of Yan Shixun’s coat with excitement, proudly introducing him to the other Taoists. “This is Yan Shixun, the only disciple of Hermit Chenyun, the only junior nephew of Taoist Li, and my junior brother. He’s the one who handled the disaster at Nanming Mountain, and before that, Wild Wolf Peak, Ghost Mountain, even the underworld soldiers passing through—it was all him.”
The Taoists, who had just been confused, now looked at him in awe and admiration.
Then Taoist Wang added, “My junior brother has a lover, and he’s going to date proudly and openly! I’m saying this now—whatever Junior Brother Yan does, I’ll support him! I’d like to see who dares gossip behind his back again!”
The Taoists: Oh oh oh, so it’s this Taoist Yan—he has a lover.
The Taoists: Heard they’re already living together.
The Taoists: Married, apparently.
As they all exchanged knowing glances in silence, only Taoist Ma, who had long known the truth about Yan Shixun, wore a complicated expression.
And as for Yan Shixun himself, the person at the center of all this—
His soul had already left his eyes.
…….
Originally, the officials in the southern region had planned to promote Longevity Village as a special tourist attraction. They intended to use it as a representative of the region’s beautiful landscapes, hoping it would act as an “umbrella” effect to drive the development of the tourism industry in the area.
But what they never expected was that, after cooperating with a well-known variety show production team, such an unexpected incident would occur.
The Taoists from Haiyun Temple had spent over a week working tirelessly in the Nanming Mountains before they finally located all the corpses scattered throughout the area.
—This pace was already considered the fastest possible, as other sects, upon hearing about the incident at Nanming Mountain, immediately rushed over to help. Together with the Taoists, they conducted a thorough, carpet-style search of the mountain.
Many of the sects that had once tried to put an end to the Nanming Mountain disaster still held a deep grudge about what had happened in the past. This time, the incident finally gave them a chance to truly find closure.
The narrow mountain paths had caused headaches for everyone involved. Fortunately, the official in charge received timely medical treatment and soon regained his ability to move normally. Even from his hospital bed, he resumed working immediately—his phone rang constantly as he hurried to catch up on all the delayed tasks and coordinate with all relevant parties.
With the aid of helicopters and outdoor rescue equipment, the Taoists and masters from across the country worked together to transport the coffins down from the mountain. They also discovered many ancient hidden caves and entrances to underground rivers on the mountain.
There, they found even more decayed corpses from long ago.
Experts believed that some of these remains could date back over a hundred years.
Judging by the timeline, it was likely that the death sacrifices in the Nan Village and the surrounding villages had begun a century ago, and these corpses were the offerings from that time.
However, back then, the powers of Ritual Master were still weak, and he had not yet been moved by the incident with the abandoned babies in the Nan Village—he hadn’t conceived the idea of creating a utopia isolated from the world.
Therefore, these corpses were not turned into undead abominations by Ritual Master. They had escaped that fate, and their souls had long since departed.
Faced with so many corpses, everyone fell into a long silence after the initial shock.
Body bags were neatly laid out on the ground, stretching out as far as the eye could see.
Some of the corpses still had personal belongings that could help confirm their identities, so their names and personal details were affixed to the outside of the body bags, allowing the southern regional authorities to contact their families.
But most of the remains had long been corroded beyond recognition, making it impossible to identify them.
Some had even been dead for so long that any relatives or acquaintances who might have recognized them had already passed away.
No one remembered them anymore. No one knew who they had once been.
All that remained were skeletal remains, lying cold and alone in the darkness of an underground river, never to see the light of day again.
The officials in the southern region did everything they could to verify each individual’s identity, but Nanming Mountain was remote and underdeveloped, with limited surveillance coverage, making it impossible to match each corpse to a name.
And the older the remains, the harder it became to trace anything at all.
Nevertheless, for those corpses whose identities were successfully confirmed, the southern region established a special task force. While informing the relatives of the tragic news, they also provided financial assistance to families in need.
Many people, upon receiving the phone call, broke down in heart-wrenching sobs, unable to believe the truth.
Some came to identify the bodies and, upon seeing their relatives or friends in such grotesque, decayed states, nearly fainted from grief.
Yan Shixun heard the results from the official in charge while standing behind the window of a small courtyard. One hand was in his pocket as he silently watched the fine snow falling outside in the early morning.
The tiny white snowflakes melted the moment they touched the ground, wetting the courtyard floor. The air turned crisp and refreshing, carrying winter’s unique clean scent—sharp yet invigorating.
Jing Xiaobao, after escorting Grandma Nan’s soul back to the underworld, had cheerfully returned to the courtyard—not at all as Ye Li had assumed, that he would stay behind in the underworld.
—When Ye Li came home and saw the child sitting on a stone bench in the courtyard, happily swinging his short little legs, his expression turned as dark as if it had frozen over.
However, because Yan Shixun was right there, Jing Xiaobao straightened his chest like he had backup. He didn’t show the slightest guilt and even raised his hand to greet Ye Li as if he were a long-term resident of the house.
But the moment Yan Shixun turned away, facing Ye Li’s gloomy expression, Jing Xiaobao turned timid faster than Zhang Wubing.
At that moment, it was still early. The sun had not yet risen into the sky. The heavens were cloaked in a heavy blue-gray, and the night had not completely receded from the horizon.
Jing Xiaobao was still fast asleep in the neighboring bedroom, happily snoring away.
Yan Shixun, dressed in loungewear, had soft, loose fabric draping over his firm, sleek figure, revealing the beautifully sculpted lines of his muscular frame.
Cold wind drifted through the cracks in the window, making the skin on his exposed neck and collarbone feel cool to the touch.
He held the phone with one hand, remaining silent for a long time, not bothered by the slight chill.
No, it was precisely this chill that allowed Yan Shixun to feel he could breathe smoothly.
Instead of feeling suffocated by the news relayed by the official in charge.
“Mr. Yan?”
When the phone remained quiet on the other end, the official in charge couldn’t help but call out, wondering if it was due to a poor signal.
Yan Shixun’s gaze was heavy, and he squeezed out a single sound from his throat as a response: “Mm.”
He slowly blinked his eyes, gradually regaining focus. “I’m listening.”
The official in charge sighed, and even the action of typing up the report on the computer with one hand came to a stop.
“I can understand Mr. Yan’s feelings. To be honest, everyone feels the same. But…”
The official in charge spoke softly, “Those people have been away for too long. It’s time for them to return to their families.”
“Their souls endured all the pain in Nanming Mountain, and at the final moment, they should return to the ones they love and rest in peace.”
“And some people… have been waiting for those who left to come home.”
“Even if it’s just a handful of ashes.”
The traveler sets off, but never returns.
The old mother waits day and night at home, filled with regret. Her once fiery and straightforward temperament has been worn down to silence. She thought her child had left because they didn’t like her temper, never to return and see her again.
When the work team found the old mother using the identity information from the remains, she was already on the brink of death. A long-time neighbor stood by her bed, quietly crying, sending her off.
When the staff explained everything and showed her the ashes from Songhu, the old mother was initially stunned. Then, trembling all over, tears began to fall uncontrollably from her aging eyes. Her disheveled, graying hair stuck to her face, giving her a frail and exhausted look.
The neighbor, both shocked and overjoyed, grabbed her arm and cried, “Did you hear that? Did you hear? It’s not your fault! Your son was harmed by others, not because he was tired of you and never came back!”
The old mother held the urn, and with her wrinkled, worn-out fingers, she repeatedly stroked the lid of the box, much like she had once done when caressing her child’s face as a little boy, filled with a mother’s love.
Her throat tightened, and she wanted to say something, but the words got stuck. She kept opening her mouth, but no sound came out.
In the end, she could only scream in a heart-wrenching voice: “My son—!”
The staff’s eyes turned red, and they couldn’t bear to watch, turning away to wipe away their tears in secret.
When the official in charge learned of this, he sat at the hospital bedside for a long time. Then, he temporarily set aside his work, picked up the cold porridge he had forgotten about, and spooned it into his mouth.
But a tear “plopped!” and fell into the bowl.
The official in charge, having carved out rare time from his busy work, called his mother. During the conversation, his voice choked with emotion.
His mother immediately asked with concern if he was feeling unwell and if she should come to see him, but the official in charge refused.
“Mom, I’m fine.”
He blinked hard, trying to hold back his tears. “My job is to ensure that all mothers… can wait for their children to come home.”
He wanted to say more, but his voice became hoarse. He quickly ended the call, not wanting his mother to notice his distress.
Even when he spoke to Yan Shixun about this matter, his voice was hoarse, clearly struggling to suppress the tears.
Yan Shixun sighed silently, then said, “Ask Zhang Wubing. His family has many industries and can help you find people faster.”
“Since those people’s deaths are already a fact and can’t be changed, we can only do our best to salvage the remaining matters.”
Yan Shixun’s tone grew serious. “If there are still others who have waited for travelers all their lives, we can’t let them be separated by life and death any longer.”
After hanging up the phone with the official in charge, Yan Shixun immediately called Zhang Wubing, waking him up in the middle of the night after he had just warmed his bed.
Zhang Wubing had been in a half-dazed sleep and was about to grumble about the caller disturbing him at such a late hour when he glanced at the caller ID: Dad.
Zhang Wubing immediately shivered and woke up completely. He answered the call: “Brother Yan?”
As he listened, Zhang Wubing’s expression grew increasingly serious.
He nodded. “Don’t worry, Brother Yan. I’ll contact the officials and the southern region right away and do everything I can.”
“But this matter can’t be made public. Nanming Mountain has already been sealed off. It’s temporarily closed to the public, with the excuse that there’s a risk of landslides and repairs are underway, so no one can enter.”
Zhang Wubing sighed, regretfully adding, “Otherwise, posting a message on social media to find people would be the fastest… but the drawbacks are huge.”
“Don’t worry, Brother Yan. I’m reliable. Leave it to me. I’ll handle it properly.”
Zhang Wubing patted his chest, sounding more mature than when he used to host variety shows, now speaking with the seriousness of someone who had weathered many storms and could stand on his own.
Yan Shixun froze for a moment, then gently smiled.
Xiao Bing… has grown up.
Yan Shixun’s brief reflection on his solitude didn’t last long. A cool, yet solid presence approached him from behind.
A slight weight settled on his shoulder.
Yan Shixun turned in surprise and saw Ye Li, who had draped a blanket over his shoulder.
In the soft morning light, Ye Li tilted his head slightly and smiled gently at Yan Shixun. “It’s snowing.”
He then turned his gaze and looked out the window at the falling snowflakes.
Through the half-open door, a warm beam of light spilled into the room, casting a soft glow across the otherwise chilly living room.
The warmth that radiated from Ye Li’s tall and slender body was a comforting presence.
Yan Shixun stared blankly at Ye Li. Suddenly, he felt as though the house was no longer so cold.
It had become warm and reassuring, as though here, he could lower all his guards, trust the ghost deity before him, and entrust his safety to him.
And the ghost deity, by his side, had become someone who could accompany him forward.
Ye Li’s sharp profile was strikingly handsome but had a cold and stiff line, carrying a powerful presence that made people wary of getting too close.
Yet now, as he gazed at the damp courtyard outside the window, the smile that crept into his half-lowered eyes softened his expression.
Yan Shixun, watching Ye Li like this, unconsciously smiled as well.
He also turned his head to look toward the courtyard.
But…
“The ground outside…”
Yan Shixun hesitated. “Isn’t that a book?”
“Mm.”
Ye Li’s lips curled into a smile as he cheerfully confirmed, “Jing Xiaobao caught a ghost last night. From the ghost’s mouth, he learned that it would snow early this morning, so he intentionally left the book he was carrying out in the courtyard.”
After a moment’s thought, Ye Li added, “He probably did it to get the book wet, so it couldn’t be used, hoping to avoid studying.”
Ye Li slightly tilted his head, giving a semi-smiling glance toward the back, “Such a naughty child.”
It was unclear who he was speaking to.
Meanwhile, Jing Xiaobao, who had been sleeping soundly but suddenly sensed danger, peeked through the crack in the door, trying to catch a glimpse of what was happening.
When he saw Yan Shixun standing by the window, an alarm went off in his head, and he thought, ‘Oh no.’
Jing Xiaobao never imagined that Ye Li would actually call out every little thing he was thinking.
The chubby face of the child, which had been peacefully sleeping, now turned pale with fear.
After hearing Ye Li’s words, Yan Shixun’s handsome face formed a false smile, and he turned to look toward Jing Xiaobao’s room, calling out, “Jing, Xiao, Bao.”
Jing Xiaobao: “!!”
The child’s hair stood on end, his big eyes filled with mist as he cried out in frustration, “Narrow-minded ghost deity! Vengeful Fengdu!”
“Wuwuwu, Yan Yan, I’m the King of Hell, please spare me some face… Ah, ah, wuwuwu!”
Ye Li’s smile grew wider as he leaned against the window, happily watching Jing Xiaobao crying uncontrollably. Only then did he decide to forget about the incident where Jing Xiaobao had provoked him the day before.
—If Jing Xiaobao hadn’t loudly mentioned wanting to get close to the bathroom, maybe Ye Li could have naturally handed Shixun a towel.
Perhaps he could have even taken it further and done something else.
Ye Li raised an eyebrow, watching Jing Xiaobao with a faint smile.
Jing Xiaobao: QAQ Fengdu’s big bad guy, wuwu.
Ye Li: Heh.
…
When the production team received the call, the authorities in the southern region were initially stunned, unsure of how to respond, although they were deeply moved by the gesture.
Putting aside the matter of help, just the heartfelt sincerity was enough to touch anyone.
It made many of the staff feel more guilty.
“Why didn’t we notice the unusual activity in Nanming Mountain? We had conducted so many investigations,” one staff member self-reproached.
Not only Zhang Wubing but also the guests of the show immediately stepped in to help.
Some donated money and goods, others provided people and resources. Everyone was united in their desire to help bring the remains back to their families, so their loved ones wouldn’t have to wait in agony anymore.
Yan Shixun anonymously donated all the earnings from this episode of filming and spent an entire day drawing a stack of missing person and item talismans. He handed them to the official in charge to help speed up the search.
On social media, the production team, in collaboration with the authorities, issued a statement revealing that the team had encountered danger in Nanming Mountain due to the presence of a vicious and ruthless pyramid scheme.
This organization had caused harm to many people in the past, even pretending to be supernatural and trying to scare off the production team when they began to investigate the anomalies.
Fortunately, in the end, the authorities captured the entire group and uncovered all their past crimes. Relevant individuals had already been investigated and punished.
However, the people who had been deceived by them had long since perished in the mountains and could never return.
With this explanation, Zhang Wubing was able to reasonably use social media to help with the search, significantly accelerating the process.
Audiences and others hadn’t expected that such events had occurred in Nanming Mountain. Everyone was filled with sorrow and fear, sending flowers and candles to honor the departed, sending their souls on their final journey.
They also felt relieved that the production team had returned safely, with Yan Shixun and the others unharmed.
Fans were surprised to notice that Nan Tian had changed.
He was no longer afraid of ghost deities like he once was, and had even reached a point where he insisted on locking doors to feel at ease.
Nan Tian had become more cheerful and actively joined the efforts to search for the missing people. He had put many of his business affairs on hold to focus on helping bring the remains of those who had died in Nanming Mountain back to their families.
When some fans expressed concern in a live stream, asking what had happened, Nan Tian was momentarily stunned.
After a long pause, he finally smiled, tears in his eyes.
“The people who have passed… the feared ghosts.”
“Some people are waiting for them to come home.”
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