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墨書 Inktalez
I was determined to escape Yichuan County before Nie Qiuyuan returned. I couldn't understand why this thought was so firmly planted in my mind; after all, he wouldn't eat me. Why did I choose to set off alone at midnight? I must have been out of my mind.
Whether in the modern world or in the Tang Dynasty, I had long developed a habit of acting on my thoughts. I disliked letting ideas linger in my imagination. If I wanted to do something, I would dive right in, regardless of whether it would succeed or not. This reckless approach had caused me trouble before, but I had a short memory and often forgot the pain once the wounds healed.
Riding a strong black horse that I had carefully chosen, with a burden on my back and a short sword at my waist, and a dagger tucked away, I galloped towards the county town under the moonlight. To ensure the safety of the citizens, Yichuan County enforced a nighttime curfew, prohibiting people from wandering around the city, let alone leaving it. But as the sister of the County Magistrate, I was considered a special person in Yichuan County and had a pass that allowed me to travel freely.
Yichuan County wasn't large, so by the time I entered the outskirts, I had successfully exited through the southern gate and was heading towards Wanzi Mountain.
My plan was to travel through the night. Considering the distance to the next county town, I estimated that I would arrive just as dawn broke. Once it was light, I could enter the county town, find a place to have breakfast, rest for a bit, and then continue on my way. Wanzi Mountain wasn't far; if I maintained a good pace, I'd be there in no time.
But why couldn't I remember? I had walked through the night before; ancient times were different from modern ones—there were no highways or streetlights, not even flashlights. How difficult could it be to navigate this dark road?
Fortunately, there was a moon shining dimly to illuminate my path. Fueled by adrenaline, I had rushed out; but as that energy waned, I found myself in a predicament. With no village ahead and no inn behind me, having left Yichuan County far behind made turning back impossible. Sighing, I could only grit my teeth and press on.
The moonlight was bright and the air was cool yet warm. As I galloped along, suddenly everything around me began to blur and a damp chill filled my nostrils.
Huh? When did it start to fog up?
A cold caw from a crow deepened the surrounding silence. I pulled on the reins to slow my horse down until it transitioned from a gallop to a walk. The only sound left was the rhythmic clopping of hooves on the uneven dirt road.
The fog thickened while the moonlight faded; everything around me grew increasingly eerie. Where had I wandered off to?
For a moment, it felt like stepping into one of those Strange Tales stories. In those tales, the male protagonist often found himself walking through the night only to stumble upon some inexplicable mirage—a place filled with flowers, wine, money, and beautiful women—only to wake up later in some desolate wilderness or among tombs.
Oh my god! Those were all male protagonists! The female characters in Strange Tales never ventured out at night; those who did were either fox spirits or female ghosts.
Suddenly feeling scared, just then something with a faint fragrance gently drifted into my collar.
I reached out and touched something resting in my palm—several deep red petals of Crabapple Blossom.
Suddenly, a gentle breeze swept by, and in an instant, it felt as if countless snowflakes were swirling around me, the crimson petals dancing gracefully before my eyes.
I looked up and saw a solitary lamp flickering ahead. Not far from me stood a tall, thick Crabapple Tree adorned with vibrant red flowers. A paper lantern hung from its lower branches, and beneath the tree was a stone table where a man in white sat alone, drinking.
What kind of person would be drinking alone in this desolate wilderness at such a late hour? Could it be that...
Before I had time to feel afraid, the man stood up and waved at me, saying, "Liuying, come here!"
Huh? I was taken aback. Upon closer inspection, my surprise deepened. Wasn't that Luo Dachun?!
"Brother Luo?! What are you doing here?"
I was so astonished that I completely forgot I had sneaked out.
"Hey? Didn't we agree to meet here?" Luo Dachun said in surprise. "Come on, the moonlight is perfect, with flowers and wine, spring is always present. Without candles or lamps, the moon shines bright. Hurry up; the wine will get cold."
I dismounted and let my horse wander off to the side. Luo Dachun stepped forward and took my hand casually, leading me to sit at the table. In my daze, I sensed something was off about his demeanor and words, but I couldn't quite put my finger on it, leaving me unsure of how to respond.
"Liuying, after all this time, do we really have to do this?" Luo Dachun asked with a smile.
"What do you mean... by 'this'?" I was utterly confused.
Luo Dachun smiled without answering. He grabbed a nearby wine jar and filled a cup to the brim with wine. Immediately, vibrant red petals floated into the cup, creating an intoxicating sight. He forcefully pressed the wine cup into my hand.
"Brother Luo, you know I can't drink."
"How is that possible!" He looked at me in surprise. "Aren't we always drinking like this? Liuying, you have such a strong tolerance; you can drink a thousand cups without getting drunk!"
A thousand cups without getting drunk? Me? No way! I'm famous for being tipsy after just one!
"Liuying, come on, let's drink this cup together. Liuying, hurry up... remember..."
Luo Dachun's hand supported the bottom of my cup, lifting it to my lips. The moonlight spilled over, illuminating his pale arms clad in a thin white shirt.
At that moment, oh my god!
His arm suddenly sprouted a large mouth filled with sharp teeth, opening and closing as a drooling tongue stretched out, devouring the flesh of his own arm. Yet Luo Dachun seemed completely unfazed, still smiling at me as that giant mouth gnawed at his skin, blood flowing down like a stream, dripping onto my clothes.
I was frozen in fear. The moonlight shimmered on the wine in my cup. The color of the wine was shockingly blood-red? Oh my god, the cup was made of white bones—how did I not notice that before? And the wine jar that Luo Dachun held was actually a complete white skeleton!
"Ah—!!" I finally couldn't hold back any longer and screamed at the top of my lungs.
As I screamed, a pool of blood suddenly appeared beneath Luo Dachun's feet, and he sank into it right before my eyes.
I hurriedly grabbed his wrist, but the pull of the blood pool was so strong that I couldn't move him no matter how hard I tried. Gradually, the blood pool rose past his knees, then his waist, his neck, and finally over his head; even the fingertips I held onto sank beneath the surface. The blood pool grew cold and hard, transforming into dark soil.
"Brother Luo—!!" I kept calling his name while desperately digging downwards, but no matter how much I dug, I couldn't reach him. Tears were welling up in my eyes from panic.
At that moment, I heard a sharp shout: "Who dares to disturb? Reveal your true form at once!"
"Who?" I exclaimed in surprise, lifting my head.
Suddenly, a flash of white light rushed towards me, and with a 'pop', a yellow talisman was firmly stuck to my forehead.
"I am the great demon catcher, Yan Chixia!"
What on earth? This scene was clearly not real. Could it be that I was dreaming while riding a horse?
I opened my eyes wide.
The moonlight was bright, and there was no fog around. What came into view were mounds of earth, each marked with a sign. I was leaning against one of the mounds, next to a pit.
Oh my god! Am I sleeping in a graveyard?!
Something blocked my line of sight. I raised my hand to touch it and pulled off a piece of paper from my forehead. Upon closer inspection, it truly was a yellow talisman covered in Tadpole Script!
"Firefly Girl, why is it that every time I encounter you, you're digging in the dirt? This time, are you going to dig up someone's grave too?"
A man's voice lazily drifted into my ears, startling me into sitting up straight. Next to me squatted a man in white with sharp features, slightly furrowed brows, and an odd expression—it was Guilin Gui, who had visited Yichuan County before.
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