Chapter 014 Invisible Dilemma_1
The open space behind the Mountain was not the finish line, but a temporary rest area before entering the back of the mountain.
The villagers of Yu Xi Village didn't venture into the back of the mountain unless necessary, so this open-space area was infrequently used.
"Let's check it out." Hawkeye led the way.
The sky was gradually darkening.
In Qian Cangyi's heart, a virtual countdown had even begun ticking.
Soon afterward, the mountain road began to fork into two paths, one on the left and one on the right.
"Split up?" Qian Cangyi hesitated a bit.
"Split up." Hawkeye's tone was decisive.
As before, they each picked a path- one to the left and one to the right.
Qian Cangyi felt a vague uneasiness in his heart, but he couldn't pinpoint the cause.
The silence of the mountain forest was unparalleled, with only their footsteps breaking the tranquility.
Worried that the Black Shadow might hide behind the trees, Qian Cangyi intentionally slowed his steps to allow time to react.
Every four or five steps, he couldn't help but glance back.
As time passed, his heartbeat quickened, breathing became more urgent, and the pressure of time chased at his heels, unnerving him even more.
The occasional look back had the opposite effect, making him more anxious, often mistaking the dark parts of the bark for a pair of eyes spying from the shadows.
"I've been walking for so long, and the road hasn't changed. Could it be a situation similar to what happened to Bian Zhe?" Qian Cangyi began to doubt the path under his feet.
The mountain paths were confusing; in the beginning, Qian Cangyi could discern the way but prolonged walking led to increasing disorientation.
Suddenly, a vague silhouette of a person appears in front, hiding among the trees.
Qian Cangyi felt his heart leap into his throat. He stopped in his tracks, observing the newly emerged silhouette.
The figure wasn't the Black Shadow but a normal human silhouette.
Qian Cangyi could distinguish clothes on the figure, but due to the distance, the face was not visible.
The figure seemed to have noticed him and started moving in his direction.
There was a forest separating them, the road wasn't straight, so closing the distance to take a clearer look would take some time.
Qian Cangyi was eager to confirm the identity of the person, but given the peculiarity of Yu Xi Village, he seriously doubted the likelihood of encountering other normal people.
In his moment of hesitation, a cold feeling washed over his back. Startled, Qian Cangyi whipped around.
On the light-brown bark, the Black Shadow began to emerge from behind. When it fully faced Qian Cangyi, a chilling smile emerged once again.
Following the appearance of the first Black Shadow, similar ones began appearing on other trees, with over a dozen appearing this time.
Qian Cangyi instinctively stepped back.
The shadows on the bark suddenly disappeared. Even though the forest was dimly lit, Qian Cangyi could still sense the change in brightness.
Human eyes are much more sensitive to changes in light in the dark, and because of this, Qian Cangyi became aware of the event.
If it had been any other time, Qian Cangyi wouldn't have reacted, maybe he would be slightly more cautious, but moments ago the Black Shadows had appeared.
Qian Cangyi naturally associated the change in brightness to the Black Shadows.
Why did the light suddenly fluctuate? The answer was obvious.
Qian Cangyi's mouth was dry, and he licked his lips nervously.
The Black Shadow moved from the forest to the mountain path. Numerous shadows slid atop the green grass like a black snake silently hunting its prey in the silent jungle.
Qian Cangyi was its prey.
If before he had a shred of doubt about the safety of the figure in front, now, his last bit of hesitation was thrown out of his mind.
Escape was the only thought in his mind.
Qian Cangyi turned around, started running, desperation fueling his strength.
At the same time, he saw the figure on the other side had also started running.
At this critical moment, Qian Cangyi no longer had the mental energy to think about anything else.
The Black Shadows moved in an interlaced pattern, occasionally overlapping, then dispersing, their crescent-like smiles seemingly mocking every person who stepped into Yu Xi Village.
"Huff, huff!"
After running for a bit, Qian Cangyi began to gasp for air heavily. His chest heaved, a sour numbness spread from the inside of his thighs.
The disadvantage of his usual lack of exercise was fully exposed at this moment.
However, no matter how much it hurt, Qian Cangyi had no intention of stopping. Because to stop would only have one result - death!
The Black Shadows constantly projected new encirclements, following close behind Qian Cangyi, the only fortunate thing was that the Black Shadow did not take a shortcut to intercept him from the front.
After Qian Cangyi rounded the corner, he saw the figure of a person ahead and could also clearly see his face.
The person he had seen in the gaps between the trees was, incredibly, Hawkeye.
However, when they had previously reached the crossroads, the directions the two had set off in were completely opposite.
Even if the two paths formed a circle, the circle behind the mountain was too small.
When they saw each other, they both revealed expressions of surprise.
Suddenly, Qian Cangyi spotted a familiar-looking small road that went down the mountain. The surroundings came back to him in a rush, recalling the scene when they had first split up.
The scenery around him overlapped with his memories, and after a slight shift in position, they matched perfectly.
Suddenly Qian Cangyi understood - he and Hawkeye had returned to where they'd started from!
"What should we do now?" Qian Cangyi shouted at Hawkeye.
After all, Hawkeye was a seasoned actor. Faced with the current situation, he was much more experienced than a newcomer like himself.
"Run!" Hawkeye's response was simple.
Qian Cangyi looked at the small road leading back to the Open Space behind the Mountain. Now, the only direction they could run was down this path.
As the two of them gathered together, the Black Shadows behind them were also converging.
Qian Cangyi sprinted, slowing down at the junction to turn, and then running towards the Open Space.
Hawkeye was faster than him, although his distance from the junction was longer.
By the time Qian Cangyi reached the Open Space, Hawkeye had already overtaken him and ran ahead.
Suddenly, a red lightning bolt streaked across the sky, followed by a rumble of thunder. Rain began to fall, wetting his hair.
"It's raining now!" Qian Cangyi felt like calamity was piling on top of disasters.
The roads of Yu Xi Village were not paved with cement, but with mud.
After the rain, the muddy road would become extremely difficult to navigate, and it would only affect them.
No matter from which angle, the Black Shadows' movement speed would not be affected by the rain.
The speed of the Black Shadow following them was somewhere between an adult's normal walking and jogging pace, of course, this was the speed of the Black Shadow that was currently trailing them.
The Black Shadow that appeared in Li Ling's house was much faster, and as to why there was such a difference, Qian Cangyi couldn't figure it out.
"Where are we going now?" Qian Cangyi asked Hawkeye.
Hawkeye pointed with his right hand towards a house not far away - it was Li Chenxi's house, and began to speak:
"Didn't you say that the villagers of Yu Xi Village were surviving in a special way? Maybe they left us some clues."
At this point, Hawkeye paused, then continued:
"Clues to the location of the Sacrificial Tablet."
Qian Cangyi's eyes widened, not understanding the reason, and asked:
"Do you mean the villagers left us new clues? Just like how the teacup in Li Ling's house was moved and the weird sounds in Wei Guangyuan's house."
"But what can they really do? After all, the villagers will disappear as soon as we approach, I'm afraid the clues they leave behind would disappear along with them."
These questions, instead of being doubts, were more like worries about the future.