Chapter 62: Rainstorm Wild Temple 24
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“Junior Brother Yan, have you seen the comments section of the program?” Taoist Ma’s voice sounded somewhat serious. “Since I couldn’t reach you earlier, I had to confirm your safety through your split-screen live broadcast.”
“I don’t know if Junior Brother Yan noticed, but when you were in the main hall battling the god statue, many viewers in the program’s comments section mentioned that they heard a voice that influenced them to make wishes to that voice. Because the voice spoke different things to each person, which were their deepest concerns, many viewers have made wishes and agreed to worship that voice as a god.”
Taoist Ma briefly explained the issue he had seen during the live broadcast and, after giving a complete overview of what he knew about Wild Wolf Peak, shared his speculation.
“Nineteen years ago, when Wild Wolf Peak had its issues, one of the individuals who came to resolve the problem was a Shaman. He claimed that the Mountain God of Wild Wolf Peak had changed, now becoming one of the Immortals. Strangely, it was only after you, Junior Brother Yan, entered the main hall that the viewers heard this voice.”
Taoist Ma continued, “I suspect that the voice the viewers heard might be coming from what Wild Wolf Peak now calls its ‘Mountain God,’ the evil god that they worshipped after taking over the divine position. It’s even possible that the sudden frenzy of wealth accumulation by the villagers at Wild Wolf Peak years ago was influenced by this evil god.”
After listening to Taoist Ma’s explanation about Wild Wolf Peak, Yan Shixun had a moment of realization.
It seemed that his earlier speculations had been correct.
After the incident at Wild Wolf Peak, the villagers had been burned to death, and all of them had perished, a result of the evil god’s intrusion after displacing the mountain god.
The authorities had also attempted to resolve the issues here, but the evil god had taken the position of the mountain god, essentially gaining control over the entire region. Any Taoists or shamans who had come to address the problem had been at a disadvantage and returned defeated. Ultimately, this place had become a headache for the authorities, and no one was willing to come here anymore.
As for Taoist Ma’s mention of “influence”…
Yan Shixun thought about the villagers depicted in the mural in the main hall, those who fervently worshiped the mountain god, and the words spoken by the scarecrow who had rushed into the main hall.
The Mountain God’s death, the Mountain God’s birthday, offering sacrifices to the Mountain God, guarding the fields to repay debts.
Since that evil god had been nurtured for so many years and possessed enough power to influence the audience through screen images, speaking to the deepest desires within each person.
It was likely that the villagers near Wild Wolf Peak had been similarly ensnared by the evil deity. Those who were no longer content with the land’s profits, dreaming of getting rich quickly, had their inner desires magnified endlessly. They became greedy and unrestrained, showing no consideration for the situation of Wild Wolf Peak, which had provided for generations. They had depleted the forests, ultimately forcing their own demise.
Endless greed became their self-dug grave.
Yan Shixun’s inner state remained completely calm, not even a sigh escaped his lips.
He had seen too many clients who came to him seeking salvation, knowing full well the impossibility of their actions but driven by greed to take reckless risks. They attempted to amass wealth through evil means, collaborated with unscrupulous Taoists and sorcerers, raised malicious spirits, invoked dark magic to steal others’ fortunes, and engaged in forbidden practices.
However, under the heavens, karma followed its own cycle, and wealth had a preordained destiny.
Using improper means to acquire wealth that did not rightfully belong to them would only accumulate debt in the end.
In the end, it has to be repaid.
When the final retribution came to collect its dues, those who had arrogantly believed they could evade the rules of the universe finally panicked. They sought help from various masters, even taking convoluted routes to obtain Yan Shixun’s contact information, begging him for salvation.
——Unfortunately, the debts they owed had long been recorded, and they continued even after death.
Yan Shixun had no interest in meddling with the karma of others.
When one sowed the seeds of karma, they had to reap what they had sown.
However, based on what the mountain god had said, and also because Yan Shixun had already learned from the changes in the scenes on the mural in the main hall, not all villagers were successfully deceived by the evil god, nor did all of them participate in the plunder of the ecological resources of Wild Wolf Peak.
There were some villagers who had only been manipulated by the evil god through the karma of being associated with their family or those around them, and their souls had been controlled. They themselves had not committed any wrongdoings back then and had even tried to dissuade their family members from destroying Wild Wolf Peak. However, their family members, driven solely by greed, had ignored their pleas.
If they had done anything wrong…… It was perhaps their inability to choose their family and the inability to distance themselves in time from the wrongdoings of the people around them.
Yan Shixun’s gaze darkened, and he began to formulate a plan.
“For those viewers who have heard the voices, there’s no need to worry.”
Yan Shixun said calmly. “Even if that creature has stolen the Mountain God’s divine position, it can’t hide its inherently malevolent nature, and its influence is limited. The ability to hear the voices is simply because viewers saw its image through the screen, giving it an opportunity. However, that’s as far as it can go, it can’t do much more.”
“If someone claims their wishes have been granted, Taoist Ma can go ask them. It’s likely that their wishes were something trivial. After all, as something controlling a village, can it really manage the entire world?”
Taoist Ma blinked and suddenly felt that what Yan Shixun said made sense.
“However, since they can hear the voices, they have been affected by the creature. Their luck may be a bit low for the next few days. As for those whose wishes have already been granted, their luck will only be temporarily bad. The creature cannot expend its own power to grant wishes for others; it merely borrows the future luck of those people and uses it in the present.”
As if he had sensed Taoist Ma’s hesitation and concerns, Yan Shixun continued, “I’ll find a time to use a live stream to help those viewers cleanse themselves of any remaining impurities left by the creature and wash away the influence it has brought. That way, there won’t be any problems.”
Yan Shixun’s tone was reassuring as if there was nothing that couldn’t be solved in his presence. With him around, people could rest easy.
Taoist Ma finally relaxed upon hearing this and nodded, thanking Junior Brother Yan for taking care of it.
Yan Shixun also realized that the Mountain God had indeed, as he said, removed the barrier around Wild Wolf Peak, as evidenced by Taoist Ma’s phone being able to connect to the cell network.
The torrential rain was gradually subsiding, turning into regular heavy rain.
The sky was beginning to brighten.
At this point, the guests could leave the Mountain God Temple by car. The signal was gradually restored.
Yan Shixun immediately dialed Zhang Wubing’s number.
This time, after a brief wait and the busy tone, Zhang Wubing’s phone, which had been impossible to reach earlier, was finally answered.
“An-An Nanyuan?” Zhang Wubing’s astonished voice carried a hint of disbelief.
He sounded as though he had just engaged in strenuous physical activity, with the remnants of breathlessness in his voice.
But soon, Zhang Wubing came to his senses and rapidly spoke into the phone, as if afraid that the signal, which had come as a rare opportunity, would be lost the next second. “An Nanyuan, where are you? Is everyone safe? But with Brother Yan there, you shouldn’t have any major issues. I was almost scared to death when I couldn’t reach any of your phones just now. I only felt relieved when I remembered that Brother Yan was with you in your car. Don’t speak! Listen to me. Don’t stay near Wild Wolf Peak, drive away from there immediately! The village here seems to be completely devoid of living people. Don’t trust anyone…”
“Xiaobing.”
Yan Shixun listened quietly as Zhang Wubing spoke for a while, his voice deep and magnetic, radiating a comforting sense of strength. He calmly said, “I’m Yan Shixun.”
Zhang Wubing’s frantic voice, which had been going on nonstop, suddenly froze on the phone.
There was a brief silence on the call.
Then, Zhang Wubing burst into intense joy, crying out with a choked voice, “Brother Yan!”
Yan Shixun’s face carried a hint of disdain, but his eyes held a smile. “Yes.”
It was like a child walking alone in a terrifyingly unfamiliar environment. Despite trembling in fear, he had to endure it because there was no one to turn to for help. But suddenly, in the dark journey where there was originally no light, he found his parents—a safe haven to seek refuge.
So, the fear and loneliness that he could have endured suddenly became unbearable.
All he knew was to turn everything into tears, crying out all the grievances and fears that had been buried in his heart, unable to be expressed to anyone.
“Brother Yan, it’s really Brother Yan! Wuwuwu, Brother Yan, why did you take so long to come? I was almost scared to death. You don’t know, this place is filled with ghosts, they’re all dead people. Wuwuwu, it’s so terrifying.”
Even before seeing Yan Shixun in person, Zhang Wubing couldn’t restrain himself and burst into sobs over the phone upon hearing the familiar voice.
At Yan Shixun’s inquiry, Zhang Wubing choked up as he recounted what had happened to him.
After receiving Yan Shixun’s call and learning about the logistics vehicle’s disappearance, Zhang Wubing immediately had the director’s car, which was leading and about to cross a narrow path between two mountains, stop on the main road by the field for convenience. He got out of the car with an umbrella and started running towards the guest’s vehicle.
However, from that point on, Zhang Wubing encountered not Yan Shixun but rather an entity disguised as “Yan Shixun.”
Out of his wholehearted trust in Yan Shixun, even though Zhang Wubing felt that something was amiss along the way and had doubts, he obediently followed “Yan Shixun” to the villager’s house where they were to stay.
However, his years of encountering spirits quickly made Zhang Wubing realize that the people around him were probably not human!
The house where he was seeking shelter from the villagers displayed black and white memorial portraits, and the calendar was frozen in the summer from nineteen years ago, with pages left unturned. The house emitted a strong, musty odor. The tiles in the corners of the roof had collapsed, causing leaks that no one had bothered to repair.
When Zhang Wubing saw that the figures in the memorial portraits of the villagers were moving, he was so frightened that he broke free from the restraints of the “guests” nearby and, driven by pure survival instinct, fled in the opposite direction.
Due to his constitution, Zhang Wubing had been able to encounter ghosts and spirits since he was very young. Before encountering Yan Shixun in the university dormitory, his family’s elders had often invited Taoists from Haiyun Temple and temple abbots to perform exorcisms for him. However, these measures were not always effective, and there were times when he had to deal with ghosts and spirits on his own.
In order to stay alive, Zhang Wubing honed his skills in evading and feigning death, hoping to escape from the pursuit of these malevolent entities.
So, at that moment, neither the “guests” nor the “Yan Shixun” figures had expected Zhang Wubing to suddenly flee. By the time they reacted, he had vanished into thin air.
After escaping from the villager’s house, the terrified Zhang Wubing darted into a small alley within the village.
To his horror, he discovered that not only the house he had sought refuge in had collapsed but many other houses in the village had also crumbled. The village was overrun with wild grasses, as if it had been abandoned for over a decade, giving off a chilling sense of desolation.
In order to evade the things chasing after him, Zhang Wubing didn’t have time to think carefully. He immediately rushed into the nearest room and hid under the table. He covered his mouth to prevent himself from making any noise and quietly waited for those things to leave the area.
Through the crumbling, stained window, Zhang Wubing suddenly noticed that those “people” who had just looked like the guests and Yan Shixun had now transformed into scarecrow-like figures!
The heads of these scarecrows were adorned with white, tattered spirit money, with haphazard black and red scribbles for facial features. Clad in red clothing, they walked on the village road in the pouring rain, their paper money faces slowly turning to survey the area in search of the fleeing Zhang Wubing.
With each step they took, red blood dripped from their clothing, falling onto the muddy path along the way.
Zhang Wubing widened his eyes in shock, trembling with fear and on the verge of tears. But he dared not make a sound, desperately covering his mouth and crouching under the table, praying not to draw the attention of those scarecrows outside.
One of the scarecrows slowly approached the window, its paper money face pressed against the glass, its all-black eye sockets devoid of whites peering into the room.
After a fruitless scan of the dark room with its lifeless gaze, the scarecrow, finding nothing, retreated from the window and rejoined the other scarecrows, swaying slowly as they moved away, searching for the escaped living person.
Zhang Wubing, shaking all over, watched as the scarecrows departed, and only then did he dare to remove his hand from his tightly covered mouth. He let out a relieved sigh and slumped down under the table, surrounded by thick layers of dust.
However, something still didn’t seem right to Zhang Wubing.
With years of experience encountering the supernatural, he swore he felt something watching him!
Terrified and huddled into a ball, Zhang Wubing hesitantly turned his head, his neck emitting creaking sounds as he slowly shifted his gaze to the side like a robot, trying to see what was around him.
Then he realized, just beside him and barely touched by the light seeping in through the window, there was a charred figure, entirely blackened, with only dark, hollow sockets in place of eyes, silently and intently staring at him.
Zhang Wubing: “!!!”
Suddenly startled, Zhang Wubing couldn’t help but let out a miserable scream. Instinctively, he tried to get up and run but ended up banging his head directly against the tabletop where he had taken cover. The impact made him grimace in pain, but he hastily crawled out from under the table, not caring about the scarecrows outside, and immediately dashed out of the house.
Zhang Wubing’s scream attracted the attention of the scarecrows, and at the same time, the charred corpses, pitch black all over, crawled out of the house and chased after him.
He ran as if his lungs were about to burst from the pain, driven solely by the fear that overwhelmed him. He didn’t dare to stop, couldn’t discern his direction, and didn’t even glance back to see where those things chasing him were or if they were catching up.
Unlike his Brother Yan, who could exorcise evil spirits and quickly discern the truth with just a few glances, Zhang Wubing was far from being as composed and rational. In his panic, only his instinct for survival supported his mad dash.
He couldn’t die, couldn’t let these supernatural creatures steal his life away.
He still had to go back and see his Brother Yan. He hadn’t yet realized his dream of becoming a renowned director and threw his report card in his father’s face, proving that his dream was real. No…..He couldn’t stop here.
Relying on sheer determination, Zhang Wubing ran through the pouring rain.
When Zhang Wubing finally couldn’t run any longer and collapsed to the ground, he realized that the things chasing him had been left behind at some point, and he had run out of the village.
He looked around in confusion, taking in his surroundings. He could vaguely tell that he was at the intersection of several villages, and in the not-so-distant distance, he could see collapsed houses.
Behind him was a dilapidated temple, its signboard covered in spiderwebs and hanging half off, fading significantly due to wind and weather.
Zhang Wubing squinted his eyes, barely making out the words on it, which read “Mountain God Temple.”
Since it was a temple, those things shouldn’t dare to enter, right? After all, it was a place of worship.
With this thought in mind, Zhang Wubing, who was propping up his legs that felt as soft as noodles, braved his shivers and walked into the Mountain God Temple.
The temple was in shambles, unlike the vibrant and well-maintained ones he had seen before. Dust and broken furniture were scattered everywhere, as if the place had been ransacked in anger, with anything of value stolen. Even the altar was reduced to a simple dirt mound. There was no grand god statue, just a small wooden carving that had fallen into the dust on the ground.
Even the roof of the main hall had collapsed due to years of neglect, allowing the rain to pour in through a large hole. Cold wind accompanied the rain, making Zhang Wubing, who had hoped for some shelter from the rain, somewhat disappointed.
But soon, he felt a surge of hope.
As long as those things didn’t follow him here, he was content. He could endure the cold if it meant staying alive.
Besides, the Mountain God itself seemed to be in a sorry state, and it looked quite pitiful.
Looking at the fallen statue on the ground, Zhang Wubing couldn’t help but feel pity. He not only picked up the god statue and placed it back on the altar but also clumsily used his soaked clothes to wipe away the dust.
His own clothes were already dirty, so having a clean god statue was a small blessing.
Because of his frequent encounters with ghosts, and being saved repeatedly by senior Taoist masters and his Brother Yan, Zhang Wubing had deep gratitude and respect for gods who could rescue him from supernatural creatures. After doing all this, he bowed twice to the god statue before retreating to a less drafty spot to wait for dawn, hoping those things would disappear.
Perhaps due to the shock followed by sudden relaxation, Zhang Wubing, who had been drenched in the rain, strangely didn’t feel cold after entering the Mountain God Temple. Instead, he felt warmth.
Whether it was the effectiveness of the temple or simply leaving the village behind, Zhang Wubing remained vigilant and watched for a long time without seeing those things reappear.
Finally able to breathe a sigh of relief, he took out his phone to call Yan Shixun, hoping his Brother Yan could come and rescue him.
However, the phone only played a mechanical female voice repeatedly saying, “The number you have dialed is not in service.”
Refusing to give up, Zhang Wubing made dozens of calls to Yan Shixun, as well as to all the guests and staff, but not a single call went through.
Unable to seek help from the outside and unsure of the situation outdoors, Zhang Wubing, trembling with fear, clutched his phone in confusion, crouching in a corner of the Mountain God Temple, anxiously waiting for daylight.
Then, as dawn broke, Zhang Wubing finally received a call from Yan Shixun.
Instantly, tears streamed down Zhang Wubing’s face, and he cried to Yan Shixun with a pitiable and helpless look, like a dog drenched in a downpour.
Through the split-screen view, the audience, hearing the voice from the phone, was left dumbfounded.
[Oh my goodness! Did you hear the voice coming from Brother Yan’s phone? Did I mishear? There are scarecrows in the village chasing people?”
“Wow!!! Scarecrows have been my lifelong nightmare. When I was a kid and saw adults placing scarecrows in the fields, it scared me so much that I would cry loudly when others made scarecrows. I thought these things might suddenly come to life and chase me. Back then, my dad scolded me for being such a timid boy. Now I absolutely have to make my dad watch this program! My concerns were not unfounded; scarecrows are indeed coming to life! They are even chasing people! My goodness, the person who answered Brother Yan’s call is a true hero. If it were me, I might have fallen to the ground and been unable to run. I would have just collapsed.”
[Brother Yan calls this person ‘Xiaobing,’. He seems to be the director, Zhang Wubing, for this show. He’s quite pitiful. It seems like he got separated from the others and was taken to a place full of dead people… My goodness, just thinking about it gives me goosebumps. In torrential rain, unable to see clearly, the land is muddy and you can’t run fast, and you’re all alone, surrounded by the dead. This scene is just too terrifying. I’m clutching my stuffed animal tightly; it’s trembling.]
[Ahem, to those who dared to hold onto their stuffed animals: aren’t you afraid that while you’re sleeping, it might suddenly come to life, just like those scarecrows, and stare at you just like that?]
[This director is really unlucky. I remember he encountered some bloody stuff on Gui Mountain before and was quite scared. And now, as a newcomer director, he’s only shot two episodes, but he’s already run into unsettling things every time. Tsk tsk, how unfortunate.]
“But with Brother Yan there, the director should be safe, right? They’ve already made contact, and with Brother Yan around, he’s definitely safe. When Brother Yan assured him earlier, I was almost in tears. I had promised that I would make an offering to that thing after succumbing to temptation. Originally, when I saw you guys discussing this, saying it might be something evil, I even thought about how I would die. I just prepared a pack of cigarettes and was about to write farewell letters, leaving my belongings to my family when Brother Yan said not to worry. He said that he will drive away the evils, I really burst into tears. An adult crying so miserably, I’m not afraid of you making fun of me, but truly, apart from my family, no one can provide me with such a sense of security. I didn’t understand those Yan Mai or what being a fan meant before. Now I get it! Brother Yan is my idol! From today, I’m a Yan Mai!”
[Exactly, I felt the same way! When I heard Brother Yan talk about this, tears just welled up in my eyes. I had made a wish to pass my exams, thinking it was an impossible thing. But just a while ago, I received an email from the school saying I passed the exams. I was stunned, feeling both happy and scared, especially since Brother Yan had mentioned that debts needed to be repaid. I was lying in bed, tossing and turning in anxiety. It was only when Brother Yan reassured us that I cried so loudly.]
[Oh, these things can be quite harmful. But when you think about it, it seems like we’re all susceptible to being influenced. After all, that voice is very clever, it speaks to our inner desires, hitting the nail on the head. Who hasn’t had moments of pain and inner conflict? Who doesn’t want something? I used to look down on those who got deceived, thinking they were so foolish. But after this experience, I understand that it’s hard to guard against… Maybe the villagers from Wild Wolf Peak were also like this back then. It’s just that they didn’t have Brother Yan to stop and save them in time, that’s why they ended up causing a disaster.]
[Brother Yan is so cool! Did you guys see his expression when he said those words just now? So cool! Seriously, becoming a “Yan Mai” is totally worth it, ahhhh!]
After listening to Zhang Wubing recount his night’s experiences, Yan Shixun couldn’t help but laugh and teased, “You’re quite spirited, you know? All you know is crying, clearly it’s nothing.”
Zhang Wubing whimpered, “Brother Yan, come quickly, I’m scared, wuwuwu.”
Yan Shixun’s lips initially carried a smile, and he intended to say something to Zhang Wubing. However, he suddenly suppressed all traces of amusement and his gaze sharpened.
“Xiaobing, is there something around you making noise?”
Zhang Wubing hiccupped, feeling somewhat bewildered, “Huh?”
Yan Shixun focused his attention, using his keen hearing to listen carefully to the sounds emanating from Zhang Wubing’s phone.
“Rustle, rustle…”
It sounded like something was crawling along a rough surface.
This noise was mixed with the sound of rain “pattering,” faint and easy to miss. It had gradually grown louder, becoming noticeable only when it drew nearer. Yan Shixun, with his acute sense of hearing, finally captured it through the phone’s receiver.
Yan Shixun immediately said to Zhang Wubing, “Look around you now, on the walls and the floor, see if there’s anything approaching you.”
Zhang Wubing obediently scanned his surroundings but found only dust. He also didn’t hear any sounds. He could only respond with a puzzled tone, “There’s nothing around me.”
“What about above your head?”
Yan Shixun calmly pointed out the often-overlooked visual blind spot.
Zhang Wubing instinctively looked up and, to his surprise, within the pitch-black mountain temple and the already spider-web-covered ceiling, he noticed a dark spot that stood out from the rest upon closer inspection.
As if it had suddenly appeared there.
Zhang Wubing, who had been squinting and completely focused, suddenly remembered the charred corpse he had seen when he was hiding in the dilapidated house in the village. That charred corpse had been silently watching him from behind.
He took in a sharp breath, his entire body trembling with fear, and urgently spoke into the phone, “B-Brother Yan, it’s a charred corpse! It’s one of those completely black charred corpses, crawling along the ceiling!”
Perhaps Zhang Wubing’s voice and gaze had provoked the charred corpse, which had been tightly clinging to the ceiling. The charred corpse hesitated for a moment, then fixed its dead, chilling gaze on Zhang Wubing. Unexpectedly, it accelerated on the ceiling, its charred limbs moving rapidly like spider legs, rushing toward the area where Zhang Wubing was.
Zhang Wubing was instantly terrified, breaking out in a cold sweat on his back. The hairs on his arms stood on end, and with a trembling voice, he cried out to Yan Shixun, “Brother Yan! Brother Yan! please save me! The charred corpse is coming over! AHHHHHHHHH!”
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