Chapter 15: The Unique Artifact

The encroaching shadow of death occupied Qian Cangyi’s mind, causing his composure to fray. Everyone fears death, and he was no exception.

Eagle Eye maintained his steady pace, rain falling upon his face, parting at the bridge of his firm nose and sliding down to the corners of his mouth. "Do we have a choice?"

"Although you are a newcomer, the information I have regarding what happened in Yuxi Village is almost identical to yours."

"If you have a better plan, feel free to propose it."

"Do you?"

As he spoke, Eagle Eye glanced back—not at Qian Cangyi, but at the dark silhouettes trailing them. The rain had no effect on these shadows, but they had ceased their all-out pursuit, instead dispersing into the woods on either side of the path.

Qian Cangyi remained silent, for Eagle Eye was right. At a critical juncture like this, merely posing questions was of little use; they needed solutions. It mattered not if he understood the underlying principles, so long as solving the problem allowed them to survive. The greatest difference between a movie world and reality was the existence of a visible finish line.

Rain beat against his shoulders, and the resistance of the muddy road beneath his feet grew increasingly heavy. Fortunately, the shadows did not close in again. The two reached the eaves of Li Ling’s house, where the water cascading from the roof formed a curtain.

"Wait, the door..." Qian Cangyi recalled their earlier departure. They had been in such a hurry that they hadn't closed it, yet now, the door to Li Ling’s home was firmly shut.

Eagle Eye looked at Qian Cangyi, silent, then nodded once toward the house. He pointed his right index finger toward the interior. "We go in together. Remember, watch for anything unusual." His voice was faint, but Qian Cangyi heard it clearly.

Qian Cangyi nodded and stepped beside Eagle Eye. The moment Eagle Eye pushed the door open, they would rush in together, seizing this rare opportunity. Eagle Eye exerted force, shoved the door wide, and lunged inside, with Qian Cangyi following immediately. The living room door slammed against the wall with a thunderous bang, but the house was empty.

"This is..." Qian Cangyi’s eyes fixed on the floor of the living room. A pattern formed by rainwater had appeared on the ground.

Rain leaking from the roof had gathered along a specific path. Taken as a whole, the pattern was a circle. The center of the circle was damp, and a line extended outward from both the top and bottom sections, while elsewhere, only scattered droplets remained.

"The clearing—this is the shape of the clearing!"

Qian Cangyi naturally associated the pattern with the open space. He did not know how the villagers of Yuxi had achieved this, but one thing was certain: without external intervention, this pattern could not exist. Because the rain falling from the roof was currently soaking the entire floor, the pattern could only last for two seconds. The design on the living room floor was the crucial hint.

"The Death Sacrifice Stele must be in the clearing!"

Overcome with joy, Qian Cangyi couldn't help but smile. Suddenly, a strange sensation welled up within him—labored breathing, a racing heart, a surge of adrenaline. It was the feeling of impending danger.

As Qian Cangyi turned back, Eagle Eye had already pivoted to look behind them. Outside Li Chenxi’s house, countless dark shadows were swarming, closing in bit by bit. They had blocked every path.

Qian Cangyi stepped back, at a loss. Eagle Eye gripped his arm with his left hand. "We have one last chance. We must find the Death Sacrifice Stele, or we will all die here."

"Get ready. Run."

Qian Cangyi blinked, confused. "How are we supposed to run out of this?" He looked out at the yard, his eyes filled with terror. The horrifying shadows were tightening their circle, their crescent-moon smiles like a death warrant.

Qian Cangyi suddenly remembered what Eagle Eye had once said about the reward for surviving a movie—special items. Eagle Eye started to speak, but Qian Cangyi interrupted him.

"A special item?" Qian Cangyi turned to Eagle Eye, his eyes wide with anticipation. After all, in this situation, individual strength alone could no longer create a miracle.

Eagle Eye nodded solemnly. "This special item is called 'Tumbleweed Sand.' It can lower our presence."

"The enemy will mistake us for tumbleweeds. It works well against enemies that rely on perception, though it is less effective against those with high intelligence."

As he spoke, Eagle Eye reached into his pocket and pulled out a handful of golden gravel. Without hesitation, he threw it into the air. The golden grains drifted slowly down, coating the two of them, while the sand that touched the ground vanished entirely, as if it had never existed.

"Watch your speed. Moving too fast will expose us," Eagle Eye said, walking toward the door.

Qian Cangyi looked down at the back of his hand. The golden specks were scattered sparsely over his arm, leaving him deeply skeptical of their efficacy. Then, he looked outside. The encroaching shadows had stopped moving, as if they had lost track of the two men.

Eagle Eye released his grip, raised his hand, and pointed toward the outside. He led the way, his movements light, pausing after every step. The shadows surrounding the house began to disperse, seemingly wandering aimlessly through Yuxi Village.

Qian Cangyi followed suit, trailing two meters behind Eagle Eye. They moved inch by inch toward the clearing on the back hill. Although the exact location of the Death Sacrifice Stele remained unclear, all clues pointed to the clearing as the most likely spot. Besides, even if they wanted to search elsewhere, there was no opportunity to do so. Their only chance for survival was to find the stele in the clearing and shatter it.

Qian Cangyi looked at the faint white light of dawn on the horizon, his expression anxious. The rain made the world darker, but the sun had not yet set; only the final remnants of warmth remained.

They continued forward, returning to the clearing at a brisk pace. Qian Cangyi scanned the area, and suddenly, a figure flashed by not far ahead. The relentless rain passed right through the figure’s dark gray coat and hit the ground.

Qian Cangyi blinked, and the figure vanished. "Did you see that? There was someone in the clearing just now."

"I saw it," Eagle Eye replied, his tone grave. "But that is not a good sign. Perhaps we, too, have been transformed by the Death Sacrifice."

They stopped, letting the rain beat down upon them. In the circular clearing, apart from candles, burnt paper money, an iron shovel, and a hammer, there was nothing left but the pit they had dug.

The Death Sacrifice Stele was nowhere to be found.