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墨書 Inktalez
Living Funeral
It felt strange, really, to take a knife and slice open my own back; it was somewhat unsettling.
As I held that object in my hand, my original body aged at a visible speed. What I held was a stone that resembled a slab of graphite, heavy and covered with densely packed inscriptions.
I looked at my aging body, my skin shriveling like a deflated balloon.
Nian Chen and Zhang the Fatty were equally astonished. Zhang the Fatty spoke up, "Is this slab of graphite in your hand what keeps you immortal?" Hearing those words felt eerie; could it really be true? This palm-sized stone, upon closer inspection, seemed stained red with blood in its center. However, it might not be blood; perhaps the stone was originally red, and the countless characters etched on its surface would require a magnifying glass to decipher.
My body continued to age until it became nothing but skin and bones. At that moment, I could no longer recognize my original appearance. Staring at it made me feel a sense of dread. Zhang the Fatty remarked, "If Jiang Changsheng wants to kill you, all he has to do is remove that stone from your back."
Indeed, if my soul hadn't left this body, what kind of pain would that entail? Just thinking about it sent chills down my spine.
Nian Chen said, "Fei, only in this state are you complete."
I looked at Nian Chen and nodded. Just then, an unexpected change occurred; my emaciated body suddenly reached out a hand and grabbed my pant leg. It spoke, "Why do you want to kill me?"
In an instant, I felt as if my scalp was about to explode. I asked, "What is going on?"
After uttering just one sentence, the body fell silent. Damn it! To think a soulless body could still speak meant that this body had never truly belonged to me from the start.
Zhang the Fatty suggested, "Should we burn this body?" He asked in an inquisitive tone. Without much thought, I agreed. As the corpse was set ablaze, it emitted a horrifying scream that made me break out in a cold sweat.
The smell of charred flesh filled the air, making me feel nauseous. I glanced at my new body; the skin appeared softer than before. There must be blood flowing within this body; otherwise, I wouldn't be alive.
Zhang the Fatty looked terrifyingly grim; his bandages were soaked in blood.
Nian Chen seemed unaffected and said, "Now that it's done, let's head out."
I glanced at the vat of water; it had become clear again. After surveying the area for a moment, Zhang the Fatty said, "We should leave using the same method as before."
Nian Chen nodded in agreement. I had no objections either. Zhang the Fatty added, "If we take this corpse with us, those unclean things won't let us leave easily. The way out will be even more difficult. The old rule applies: Chen Fei, you will bleed again while Nian Chen drinks your blood."
Looking at Zhang, I truly felt a pang of sympathy. If he went out, he might face an even worse fate.
I asked him, "Is there any other way?"
Zhang replied, "No, this is the safest method."
I exhaled heavily; this plan was far too dangerous. Zhang could lose his life. I glanced at the stone in my hand, wondering if it could be the secret scroll. Nian Chen said it would be fine.
Zhang echoed, "Chen Fei, it will be fine. I won't die." After pondering for a moment, I handed him the Hundred Ghosts Map and said, "Use this later." Zhang took the map from me, and we began to move toward the exit.
With our eyes covered, I was carried by Zhang as he walked outside. He let out several pained cries along the way. The malevolent entities trying to drag me down became increasingly aggressive, and more than once, I nearly lost my grip. Meanwhile, I felt Zhang's steps growing unsteady and slower. My hand resting on his shoulder became stained with blood. I wanted to ask if he was alright but ultimately held back.
Zhang's breathing grew heavier. After walking for a while, he stopped. The sounds around us multiplied—screams and cries echoed in a haunting chorus. I felt numerous hands grasping at me from behind, pleading for me to stay and take them with us.
As we neared the exit, I thought I heard Lin Xue's voice. Whether it was a trick of my mind or not, I distinctly heard her laughing and saying, "As long as you're alive, that's what matters."
Finally, Zhang collapsed to the ground as if he could no longer hold on. I finally spoke up, "Zhang, are you okay?"
He urged me, "Don't worry about me; just go! Nian Chen, take him out." His voice was noticeably weakened now. Damn it! If I ignored Zhang, he would surely die here. I tore away my black cloth covering my eyes. When I did, the sight before me left me stunned—surrounded by rotting corpses in every direction; many souls were visible too. My heart sank in fear.
Zhang lay bloodied on the ground while the grotesque faces of the corpses seemed to fixate on us like prey.
A woman with a severed hand, a man without eyes, a child with only half a head, and an old man with no feet.
It was terrifying—so terrifying! When Zhang saw me remove the cloth, he shouted angrily, "Chen Fei! What the hell are you doing?"
Snapping back to reality, I quickly grabbed Zhang. His nose appeared as if it had been eaten away. But at that moment when I held onto him tightly, all the corpses lunged toward us. Zhang let out a desperate scream.
Then he stood in front of me defiantly, flailing his arms wildly and smashing down on any corpse that came near. In that moment, he seemed almost mad as he shouted for Nian Chen to take me out.
Nian Chen grabbed my wrist and pulled me forward.
Zhang soon emitted a chilling scream that I'll never forget. He chased after me all the way as my protector; at that point, he looked less human—his skin had been stripped away revealing bloody flesh beneath. With great difficulty, he handed me the Hundred Ghosts Map and said earnestly, "Chen Fei, take good care of Nian Chen."
Then without hesitation, he stood firm against us as the dead overwhelmed him completely. His screams faded into silence.
Many dead people were chasing behind me. I called out Zhang Fatty's name, and Nian Chen said to me, "Fly, hurry up."
As we ran outside, my body was scratched with many wounds. When we reached the entrance of Dead Man's Cave, the dead dared not come out. My clothes were torn, and Nian Chen was also injured.
Once we emerged, the fog had lifted slightly, and it felt as if I had just woken from a dream.
Nian Chen grabbed my hand and knelt at the cave's entrance, saying, "Bow your head to him."
I was still a bit dazed and lost. Nian Chen said, "You don't need to feel guilty; he knew he would die."
I replied, if he knew he would die, why did he go in? Nian Chen responded that perhaps it was for some belief.
Belief? Nian Chen nodded and continued, even if Zhang Fatty hadn't gone in, he wouldn't have lived long anyway. And he might not be dead; you might be able to save him later. But right now, you definitely can't.
After bowing my head, Nian Chen helped me up and said, "Fly, let's go."
But I didn't get up. I said to wait a moment. My heart felt heavy at that moment, but just then, a voice rang out. He walked toward us and called my name, Chen Fei.
I glanced at the newcomer and responded. Zhang Xun said, "Let's go. This was always meant to be a burial; he died willingly."
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