Chapter 86: Sacrificing Lin Qian
The Big Mountain was deep and majestic.
The small path wound around, like a mud dragon coiled on the mountain.
Dim forest, yellow mud small path.
The entire Big Mountain was silent.
Lin Qian walked on the small path. Because of the fierce ghost within him, he made no footsteps.
This made the surroundings even quieter.
The surroundings were deathly quiet, without even bird calls or insect chirps.
Looking up at the mountain, already deep in the mountains—how could he see the mountaintop?
Naturally, he couldn’t see it.
Deep in the Big Mountain, in a place no one knew.
There was a village.
The village was ancient, with ramshackle mud houses loosely built.
But at the center of the village, there was an Ancestral Hall built of redwood.
The Ancestral Hall was constructed with great care, luxurious in appearance. Though eroded by time, its former grandeur was still evident.
At this moment, the Village Entrance.
Five men and women sat solemnly at the village entrance.
All five appeared to be middle-aged men, the youngest looking at least thirty.
They had gloomy temperaments and gaunt features, as if they had suffered some severe illness, their faces deathly pale.
“What do you say?”
Among them, a leader middle-aged man scanned outside the village with gloomy eyes.
“What do you say?”
“What can we say now?”
A woman said coldly, “Now, either find someone to replace us, or we’ll stay here.”
“Those villagers?”
One person asked.
“Heh.”
“Do you think they are fools, or our deception is masterful?”
The woman glanced back at the village behind her, her eyes full of anger:
“They tricked us into going in—how could we trick them into going in?”
Hearing this, the leader middle-aged man chuckled, his gaze gloomy:
“Why trick them?”
“You’ve probably forgotten—we’re ghost controllers. They’re eerie, but they only appear as ordinary people.”
“Worst case, we all die together.”
“Are you sure it works?”
One person frowned and asked.
“Whether it works or not, we’ll know once we try.”
The middle-aged man recalled how, after they came out of that place, the five people guarding outside had smiled broadly.
Just thinking about it made him want to kill them.
If not for fear of triggering the rules here and summoning great terror, they would have taken action long ago.
“Can’t kill, but didn’t say can’t beat.”
Hearing this, the others’ eyes lit up slightly.
“Give it a try.”
The group immediately resolved themselves, stood up, and quickly walked towards inside the village.
Time passed slowly.
After an unknown time, a young man suddenly appeared in the distance.
The morning light scattered everything.
But in a blink, it was afternoon.
The young man frowned slightly, “Supernatural Land…”
Gazing at that ancient rural village.
The young man clearly realized one thing: reclaiming the puzzle piece wouldn’t be easy.
Entering the village, the buildings under sunlight were extremely simple.
At a glance, all were mud houses.
Not a bit of bricks and tiles in sight.
The rooftops used mud and straw to shield from wind and rain.
This place was terrifyingly poor.
“No one around?”
He walked all the way without seeing a single person.
But he could confirm people lived here.
The ducks and geese frolicking in the fields, and the big yellow dog lounging on the ridge.
All proved there were people inside the village.
Where had the people gone?
Lin Qian stroked his chin and continued walking towards the depths of the village.
A rural village and a city were two different things.
The village you imagine is houses packed together, like those towns.
But in reality, a true village spans a vast area—one person lives behind the mountain, another in front.
Each house occupies over two or three hundred square meters.
Far apart, even the closest are separated by seven or eight paddies.
Following the yellow mud road, Lin Qian occasionally saw houses standing.
But without exception, no one was home.
“Strange…”
Was someone holding a feast?
Why was no one home?
Strange situation.
Lin Qian sensed the fierce ghost stirring within him and looked in one direction.
His gaze flickered slightly.
Whatever—better complete the puzzle soon and check on Da Jiang City.
He didn’t want to delay too long, only to return and find Da Jiang City gone.
Ghost Domain opened, following the fierce ghost’s puzzle sense straight ahead.
At this moment, at the village center, in front of that luxurious Ancestral Hall.
“You can’t do this—release the people quickly! Those who enter the Ancestral Hall unwillingly will be cursed by the ancestors!”
A large crowd held weapons, surrounding the five villains holding hostages.
“I don’t care about your bullshit ancestor curse. If you won’t let us leave the village, no curse matters!”
The five each throttled a villager, staring coldly at these villagers wielding hoes, sickles, axes, and cleavers.
“Make way!”
The leader barked coldly:
“If you don’t, don’t blame us for killing!”
“Impossible!”
From the crowd, a fifty-to-sixty-year-old man stared expressionlessly at the five.
The hostages they held were full of fear, struggling constantly, but the power gap was vast—their struggles were like fish out of water.
Utterly ineffective.
“Those who enter the Ancestral Hall unwillingly are not recognized by the ancestors!”
“Then not only will they die—you’ll be cursed by the ancestors too, and even we can’t escape!”
The five looked at this old man, the village chief of this village.
“They tricked us into the Ancestral Hall—is that right?”
A woman shouted sharply.
“It was consensual—how can you call it tricking?”
As soon as the woman said this, the hostages’ faces changed instantly.
The other villagers erupted in uproar, glaring hostilely at the five hostages.
“How could you trick them?”
“You’re deceiving the ancestors! You’ll face retribution!”
“I knew it—these five brats aren’t good people. I said early on, beat them to death and bury them.”
“You didn’t listen—now look, they’ve caused trouble.”
The villagers began discussing.
“Quiet!”
The Village Chief barked deeply.
The noisy discussion immediately faded.
“This matter—they were wrong. I apologize for them here.”
“But…”
Changing tone, the Village Chief narrowed his eyes:
“Even if you throw them into the Ancestral Hall now, you still can’t leave. On the contrary, you’ll suffer a horrific curse.”
“Believe me—you’ll die.”
The Village Chief’s words made the five’s faces sink slightly:
“We’ll die?”
“We’ll die if we can’t leave!”
“Today, no matter what, we’re leaving—either throw these five in, or find volunteers to replace us.”
“Otherwise, everyone dies together.”
The leader middle-aged man said coldly.
The Village Chief’s gaze flickered, frowning silently.
After a long time.
“Like this—we’ll discuss things slowly. We’ll give you a satisfactory answer.”
“But we need time.”
“This was caused by people from our village—we guarantee to resolve it.”
“How about this—give me one night, we’ll discuss your matter. What do you think?”
Hearing this, the leader middle-aged man among the five chuckled:
“Not good.”
“Who knows if we can even leave after one day.”
“Now, immediately—give us a method, or else…”
The middle-aged man sneered: “Killing you would be easy.”
The villagers’ gazes turned hostile.
Dozens or hundreds here, only five on the other side.
And they said killing them was easy?
Did they think the things in their hands were plastic?
Couldn’t hurt anyone?
“Too arrogant—Village Chief, beat them to death! With so many of us, are we afraid of five?”
Someone shouted emotionally.
Unbearable—simply unbearable.
Five threatening over a hundred—what arrogance!
“Ungrateful bastards—Village Chief spoke nicely to negotiate, you don’t appreciate it and even threaten us!”
“I see you don’t even want to leave!”
The crowd surged with anger, villagers riled up again.
The Village Chief’s face also looked unpleasant.
Though they hit on his true thoughts.
But that wasn’t reason for these five to threaten them.
Seeing the agitated crowd, the five’s faces also turned cold.
The five hostages panicked instantly, shouting for the villagers to calm down.
They were still hostages.
In the crowd, Lin Qian stroked his chin, watching everything.
“Tricked into Ancestral Hall… unable to leave…”
Lin Qian looked toward the Ancestral Hall, the fierce ghost within stirring, rapidly reviving.
If not for the Ghost Messenger’s suppression power, the Killer Ghost would have revived.
Undoubtedly, the ghost was inside the Ancestral Hall.
To complete the puzzle, he had to enter the Ancestral Hall to find the ghost.
But these five implied they were tricked into the Ancestral Hall, then couldn’t leave the village.
That Village Chief seemed to confirm it too.
As long as willingly entering the Ancestral Hall meant unable to leave?
Lin Qian narrowed his eyes at the luxurious Ancestral Hall.
Make him stay here forever—don’t joke.
“Unwilling entry into Ancestral Hall triggers terror.”
“Could the ghost inside come out to kill?”
Lin Qian stroked his chin, gaze flickering uncertainly.
“Quiet!” the Village Chief shouted sharply.
The Village Chief seemed to carry weight with the villagers—just one sentence quieted the restless crowd again.
“No room for discussion?”
After the villagers quieted, the Village Chief looked at the five and asked again.
“How to discuss?”
The leader middle-aged man among the five looked at the old man:
“Who among you is willing to replace us and go in?”
“You, the Village Chief, or these villagers?”
The Village Chief expressionless:
“We’ve all entered once—can’t replace you.”
“Only those who have never entered the Ancestral Hall can replace you.”
“Only then can you leave.”
“Number doesn’t matter—it’s whether you’ve entered before.”
Hearing this, the five’s faces sank slightly.
Lin Qian, blended in the crowd, narrowed his gaze sharply.
“By your logic, we’re stuck here?” the middle-aged man asked coldly.
“That’s right—so even throwing them in won’t let you leave, and might even let the terror inside out.”
“You’ll die, for breaking the Ancestral Hall’s rules by forcing entry.”
“The terror that comes out will kill you.”
“We’ll die with you.”
The Village Chief said seriously, expression sincere.
“Heh… I don’t believe a word you say.”
“Who knows if you’re lying?”
The middle-aged man’s gaze flickered.
“True or false, one try will tell.”
Hearing this, the middle-aged man frowned:
“How to try?”
The Village Chief had waited for this—he instantly looked to the crowd.
The crowd parted instantly, revealing a strange young man.
“Him—an outsider, definitely never entered the Ancestral Hall.”
“Outsider entering Ancestral Hall—no need to worry about willingness.”
“Throw him in, and you can naturally leave.”
As the words fell, the five’s gazes locked onto the young man.
Expressions shocked and uncertain.
Lin Qian’s face darkened—clever water-diverting ploy!
This old guy wasn’t good!
“Another outsider!”
“Such a young lad.”
“Face so pale—is he a pretty boy?”
“Such a pretty girl—no, a boy. Sigh, what a pity…”
“…”
The one who said pretty girl like a lass—come out.
Pity? See if I don’t beat you into pity!
Lin Qian’s face instantly blackened.
“How do you choose?”
The Village Chief indifferently withdrew his gaze from Lin Qian—just an ordinary person.
Not worth mentioning.
Perfect for resolving this crisis.
All for the village—hope this young man understands.
“Everything you said true? Sure we’ll all leave if we throw him in?”
The middle-aged man glanced at the young man, then at the Village Chief.
They sensed no abnormality from the young man.
Confirmed ordinary person.
“You can try—if you can’t leave, just back to now. No loss.”
“Trying costs you nothing.”
The Village Chief said calmly.
The five exchanged looks, seemingly debating whether to follow.
They didn’t believe everything.
Even trying might be a trap.
But what if true?
The five’s gazes flickered; the middle-aged man looked at the Village Chief.
“If we find you’re lying, we’ll throw them in without hesitation.”
Village Chief’s gaze flickered: “Fine.”
They decided to try the Village Chief’s way.
If fake, they could still throw hostages in and go all-out.
But before that, they’d mercilessly kill everyone here!
Without mercy!
Without considering the person’s choice, they settled it.
“I’ll grab him.” A woman among the five handed her hostage to the middle-aged man and spoke.
The middle-aged man nodded, unconcerned.
The Village Chief waved; villagers parted, clearing the path to the Ancestral Hall.
Watching the approaching woman and the villagers’ indifferent eyes, Lin Qian suddenly smiled.
“You sure you won’t ask my opinion?”
Lin Qian’s words made the woman pause briefly, then continue forward, expression unchanged.
Lin Qian exhaled coldly, smirking:
“Of all people, you picked the most terrifying one.”
The young man muttered to himself.
