Chapter 57: Rainstorm Wild Temple 19 Part 1
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After witnessing the eerie happenings in the main hall of the Mountain God Temple, Yan Shixun decisively decided to return to the accommodations of the other guests to check on their well-being.
Moreover, only one group of guests with one car was at the Mountain God Temple; the whereabouts of the other two cars and their occupants were still unknown.
The ghosts standing motionless in the courtyard, seemingly unresponsive to the outside world, made Yan Shixun begin to doubt the true nature of the torrential rain. Was it really raining, or…
Was it concealing these spirits?
If that were the case, the Mountain God Temple, which had already been occupied by an evil deity, was likely the most dangerous and pivotal point in the entire Wild Wolf Peak, radiating its influence far and wide. The farther one got from the temple, the safer they would be.
Therefore, Yan Shixun needed to confirm the safety and location of Zhang Wubing and the others immediately. He planned to advise them not to approach the Mountain God Temple’s location and, once the rain stopped, to pass through the gap between the two mountains and head far away from the temple towards Wild Wolf Peak.
Until this moment, unable to divine the guests’ situation through his divination, Yan Shixun, who was accustomed to using divination to gather various kinds of information, for the first time, felt that having a cell phone might be useful.
“Can I borrow your phone? I need to call Zhang Wubing,” Yan Shixun didn’t originally intend to speak with the man beside him, but the safety of Zhang Wubing and the others was more crucial. So he suppressed his emotions and tried to make his voice sound as calm as possible.
However, his irritated tone still leaked through.
Even though Yan Shixun had suppressed his emotions to the lowest possible level, the man could still see through him.
The man slowly chuckled, the deep laughter gave Yan Shixun a tingling sensation in his ears, making him feel somewhat uncomfortable. He subconsciously rubbed his neck, as if he still felt the itch from the man’s voice when he spoke in his ear just moments ago.
“Are you now requesting aid from the spirit?”
The man’s long and slender arms hung casually in front of his chest, his tall figure standing with a relaxed posture as he gazed at Yan Shixun. He smiled and said, “I really don’t know, is this how humans these days invite gods? Even if it was more than a decade ago, there would still be a piece of candy.”
That kind of fruit-flavored hard candy that you could buy at the market for a dime a piece. Strawberry, apple, with that cheap sweetness manufactured by human industry. Even when the candy was rolled up on the tongue, it would still be sharp and cut the mouth with its hard and pointed surface.
But it was the only piece of candy he had eaten in a thousand years.
The first taste of sweetness after leaving the battlefield of death filled with hatred and anger.
So even the slight pain on his tongue and the taste of blood in his mouth felt precious. That sharp pain, and the angry gaze from the boy in front of him without any expression, were so similar. It made him unable to resist, and he accidentally remembered the boy’s face.
Even though the boy was still young at the time, his handsome face hadn’t fully matured yet, there were still bruises on the corners of his mouth from being beaten by his parents. However, it couldn’t hide the sharp beauty within the boy’s features.
Even after seeing so many different kinds of people and spirits, in his eyes, everyone was just withered bones and empty shells. But at that moment, he couldn’t help but marvel.
—This was an exceptionally beautiful face, and one could even foresee how many people’s attention and love it would capture as the boy grew up.
And now, the boy he had encountered at the market back then gradually overlapped with the face of Yan Shixun before him.
The man raised his eyebrows and smiled lightly.
It’s you, so your name is Yan Shixun.
Yan Shixun looked at the man’s sudden smile and felt puzzled. “Can I borrow your phone? What does it have to do with inviting gods? And what’s this about candy?”
Did he look like someone who carried candy in his pocket?
The man finally snapped out of his recent reminiscence, concealing the emotions that had briefly surfaced on his face. Fortunately, because he stood against the light, his features were shrouded in shadow, and Yan Shixun did not notice his momentary lapse.
“I was joking. You don’t need all those cumbersome procedures to ask something from me.”
After all, he had waited for the ideal exorcist in the mortal realm for a thousand years and an acquaintance from over a decade ago.
The man, as if he had just returned to his senses and didn’t hear what the person next to him had said, asked Yan Shixun again, “What do you want?”
Make a wish.
I’m not like that filthy old rat inside. I’m not an evil god, and I won’t deceive you. You make a wish, and I’ll grant it to you.
No matter what it is…
“A cellphone.”
Yan Shixun clicked his tongue, looking rather impatient with the man’s teasing as if he felt it was a waste of time. He extended his hand directly to the man, saying, “I want to call that little fool, Zhang Wubing.”
The man ：“…………”
Seeing the man remain silent, Yan Shixun raised an eyebrow curiously and gestured with his hand, saying, “Thank you.”
The man：“…………”
For once, he fell into silence, unsure of how to respond.
Should he first ask Yan Shixun why, given this excellent opportunity, he had made such a small and inconsequential wish, seemingly wasting the opportunity? Or should he inquire why Yan Shixun needed to borrow a cellphone from him to check someone’s safety?
But most importantly…
He didn’t have a cellphone.
The man lowered his gaze slightly, his eyes fixed on the hand that Yan Shixun had extended toward him.
These were undeniably beautiful hands, with well-proportioned bone structure, slender fingers, and clear palm lines. However, the veins running across the palm gave it a strong and powerful appearance, while the blood-red abrasion added a sense of strength to it.
It was these hands that had just snatched a weapon from the hands of an evil god, wielded a long spear, and forced the evil god into a panicked retreat. The figure was powerful and graceful, captivating his attention, making it impossible for him to look away.
Yan Shixun: “?”
“Are you teasing me?” Yan Shixun smirked, a hint of anger gathering on his forehead, making him look quite menacing.
The man fell silent for a moment, then hesitated before muttering, “…I don’t have a cell phone.”
Yan Shixun burst into laughter.
He swiftly withdrew his hand, turned around, and walked away as if he didn’t want to deal with the man anymore.
The man wore an expression of guilt, something rare for him. “You can choose something else. Besides a cell phone, I can do many more things.”
Yan Shixun sneered, “No thanks, enjoy your game with the air here.”
With that, Yan Shixun took long strides, nimbly flipped out from under the eaves of the Mountain God Temple, leaped across the roof of the adjacent building, and left the man far behind at the entrance of the temple.
The man seemed somewhat helpless, gazing at Yan Shixun’s retreating figure for a moment. Only when Yan Shixun’s silhouette disappeared at the end of his line of sight did he retract his gaze. He then looked coldly at the temple beside him.
Amidst the chaos and ashes, the once splendid and solemn main hall was now in ruins. Only the remnants of the hasty escape remained.
The man frowned with disgust and spoke coldly, “As a god, you must be both benevolent and stern. Protecting your people blindly will only cloud their understanding of the true nature of the world and lead them astray.”
“Your loss of position is the inevitable consequence of your actions.”
Even though the sound of the pouring rain was deafening, it couldn’t drown out the man’s voice.
His voice, with its incredible penetrative power, reverberated deep into the grand hall, creating an eerie and solemn echo.
From the hazy ashes and dust, there came a faint sigh.
……
An Nanyuan felt that he and Anthony were absolutely incompatible!
First, the company insisted on him bringing this guy along, and now this guy was acting like this, full of aggression and looking completely insane! This was a matter of life and death. When he got back, no matter what, he had to tell the company that he wasn’t bringing this chaotic newcomer with him anymore! Quitting the industry was fine; he just didn’t want to see Anthony’s annoying face again!
While An Nanyuan ran frantically through the Mountain God Temple, he gasped heavily, his chest feeling sour and painful due to a lack of oxygen and the increased blood flow.
But he didn’t dare to stop for a moment, nor did he dare to look back.
“A-An Nanyuan, I can’t go on anymore! I can’t run!” Beside him, Bai Shuang ran with a pale face, cold sweat streaming down her forehead. She looked like she could faint at any moment.
It wasn’t just Bai Shuang; several other guests were struggling as well. Except for An Nanyuan, who maintained strong physical endurance from years of dance practice, and the variety show celebrity who was used to this kind of chase, the rapid running was almost at the limit of the guests’ physical endurance. Moreover, one male actor among them had injured his leg.
An Nanyuan watched Bai Shuang’s condition and clenched his teeth, harboring a hint of luck as he turned his head to look back, hoping to see that the giant rats chasing them had given up the pursuit.
But evidently, that was impossible.
Not only were three enormous rats still closely chasing them from behind, but far behind, there was Anthony, who had aimed a split-screen livestream right at them.
Unlike the guests’ distressed appearance, Anthony looked calm, showing no signs of impatience. Instead, he appeared like a ruthless hunter, with a malicious grin on his face.
“Look, look, is this your favorite idol star?” Anthony sneered, pointing towards An Nanyuan and addressing his own split-screen camera. “Look at their current ugliness. Do you still like them? Do they, such despicable people, deserve your admiration?”
“Clearly old and ugly, yet they cling to the company’s resources and connections, refusing to give opportunities to us talented young people. It’s sickening.”
Anthony then put on a deliberately charming smile for his camera, using his signature polite tone. “But now, sisters, you’ve recognized their ugliness, and it’s not too late. I believe you all know who truly has the potential to become the top idol in the entertainment industry, right?”
It was the same magnetic voice and politeness that his fans had adored as if he could cast a spell with his words. However, the content of his speech was vile and repugnant, leaving many viewers who had squatted in front of Anthony’s split screen bewildered and angry.
[Oh my God… my friend just recommended Anthony to me yesterday, saying he’s a polite and handsome young man who can make you feel the joy of being praised like a puppy. But this? Is this it? Ugh, where did this rabid dog come from to disgust people?]
[Don’t you dare talk about Brother this way! Brother has worked very hard. It’s all Yan Shixun and An Nanyuan’s fault. Didn’t you hear Brother say that An Nanyuan suppressed his contacts and resources that he should have had? If the company hadn’t been blind and kept supporting An Nanyuan, Brother would be a top idol by now, wouldn’t he? And Yan Shixun, where did he come from with his Z-list status? He even bullied Brother and stole his spotlight. Shouldn’t they die? Brother did the right thing. Support Brother!]
[Is the girl above in high school now? Good girl, stop chasing stars and go to sleep. You still have homework to do tomorrow. I can’t believe even Anthony has die-hard fans now. Hasn’t he even debuted yet? It’s really scary. What’s wrong with his family? Is it like a cult?]
[I think Anthony himself is quite sinister. Didn’t you see his face just now? Is that a face a human would have? Stop kidding me; that looks like an animal’s face! Has he been possessed? He looked relatively normal before, but now, how did he become like this? And would a normal person say such things in front of a camera? Would they laugh and make fun of their colleagues while they’re being chased by rats?]
[I don’t care about Anthony; I only care about Sister Bai Shuang! Oh my goodness, I’m so worried. Look at how pale her face is. How can she endure this? What if she falls off the platform and gets bitten by those rats? What if there’s a plague or other diseases? It’s so unsanitary. I’m really worried. Where’s Brother Yan? Doesn’t he protect everyone? Why isn’t he here!]
[Before worrying about germs, you should probably be concerned about some physical issues first. For instance, this rat that’s over a meter long, if it bites, won’t it bite off your sister Bai Shuang’s head directly? Although you guys say that Southern rats are big, as a pure Southerner, I’ve never seen a rat that’s over a meter tall. I’m sorry, I’ve only seen rats bigger than cats, never bigger than humans. And did you not see the teeth on those rats earlier? They were like small knives, even biting through the door panels. To be frank, this has already gone beyond the scope of normal rats. Could they have become spirits?]
[Indeed, when I was a child, I heard from the elderly that if animals live for too long and grow too big, they’ve become spirits, and you shouldn’t provoke them, or you’ll face retaliation. Seeing the current situation… sigh, I can only hope they get out of this. I’ve already called the authorities; I hope they can rescue them in time.]
[A lot of people might be thinking the same way, that’s why when I called the official hotline earlier, it was busy. But that’s a good thing; strength in numbers. I just hope Brother Yan can come and rescue them! Right now, I wish I could jump out of the screen and knock Anthony’s head; why is he so annoying? I feel like he’s as disgusting as those rats!]
[Yes! Brother Yan’s split screen is on, you reminded me, that we can go to his split screen and send barrage messages; that way, he can see the news and hurry back.]
[…The person above doesn’t seem like a Yan Mai, Brother Yan doesn’t use his phone much, he only uses his split-screen for live streaming, and he hardly ever manages the barrage and comments unless the director urges him to. I just went to Brother Yan’s split screen to check, and the situation there is even more critical than here. Can you believe it? Moving statues and paintings?]
[AHHHHHHHHHH, those rats are about to catch up with them! What do we do? What do we do? And there’s a familiar guest who seems to be an actor; his foot is injured and he can’t run far. What are we going to do?]
[Holy crap! Is that a rat? You’re calling Godzilla a rat??? Ah, I can’t look anymore, oh my god…!]
“Bai Shuang!”
Seeing Bai Shuang running slower and slower, and even the rats gradually catching up to her, An Nanyuan, who had been keeping an eye on the situation with his companions, shouted loudly in desperation. Then, in an instant, he unleashed his strength, grabbed Bai Shuang, and, along with everyone else, turned towards the side entrance of the Mountain God Temple.
The two men who had run a bit faster were anxiously waiting by the side gate. As the last few people passed through, they immediately slammed the metal side gate shut with a loud “bang.” It closed just in time to trap the rats that were about to run in from outside. They shuddered as they quickly locked the main gate.
It wasn’t until this moment, listening to the rats scratching at the door from the outside with “squeak-squeak” sounds, that the group finally breathed a sigh of relief. They collapsed onto the ground, feeling completely drained, and sat there like they had just been through an ordeal.
“Oh my god… we-we’re still alive,” one of the male celebrities who had been abruptly awakened in the middle of his nap couldn’t believe that everything in front of him was real. He felt a surreal sense of exhaustion as if he had narrowly escaped death.
“Don’t let your guard down. The rats outside are still scratching at the door. If they break in as they did before, we’re done for,” An Nanyuan warned.
An Nanyuan didn’t have time to inquire about Bai Shuang’s condition. He was so anxious that he was sweating profusely, wishing that Yan Shixun, whom he regarded as capable of anything, was by his side so he could ask for help.
But Yan Shixun wasn’t here now.
They had no choice but to rely on themselves.
“By the way, isn’t Anthony outside broadcasting live?” An Nanyuan suddenly brightened up and suggested excitedly, “We can watch his live stream to see what they’re doing.”
“Good idea.”
“Since it was your idea, An Nanyuan, you can watch. We’re all too exhausted.”
Although An Nanyuan was not pleased with everyone’s reluctance, he couldn’t afford to squabble over such trivial details at this critical moment. He directly opened his phone and accessed the video platform, tuning in to Anthony’s live broadcast.
Outside the metal side gate, the rats were vigorously scratching at the door and continuously biting it. The metal side gate emitted a strained creaking sound as if it could be breached at any moment. One rat didn’t stay by the side gate the entire time but looked around for a bit before leaping up onto the roof above the side gate.
This sight shocked An Nanyuan, and he couldn’t help but blurt out a curse, “Damn!”
This rat seemed to be looking for another route and had just jumped onto the roof of the side gate, preparing to enter the small courtyard beyond the side gate!
An Nanyuan couldn’t afford to keep looking at his phone and quickly urged the people who were sitting exhausted on the ground to get up and continue running.
They had been too careless, thinking only about the rats running on the ground and forgetting that the rats could also come from above. Without Brother Yan here, they always felt unsure about what they were doing, their plans never seemed thorough enough. When would Brother Yan return…
“I can’t run anymore,” the older male actor smiled bitterly in comparison to the others and waved his hand at An Nanyuan. “You guys go ahead. My foot was bitten by a rat earlier, and I didn’t treat the wound. Running this intensely now, I’m afraid I’ll go into hemorrhagic shock even if I manage to run away. Don’t worry about me; carrying me would only be a burden for you. I’ll stay here and leave it to fate.”
An Nanyuan’s eyes trembled. “Brother Zhao, you…”
Before An Nanyuan could think of a solution, he suddenly felt a gentle force rising from the layer of soil where he was standing. It softly enveloped the entire courtyard.
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