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墨書 Inktalez
I slurped the noodles, the warmth washing away the chill that had settled in my bones. When I finally reached the bottom of the bowl, I patted my stomach and said, “Dad, your noodles are still the best.”
As my father cleared the dishes, he spoke with a hint of unease, “You can’t be wandering around at night anymore. There have been strange happenings in the nearby villages lately.”
Perhaps out of curiosity, I asked, “Dad, what’s going on? Tell me.”
He sat back down and explained, “A while ago, it rained for half a month straight. The main peak of Daqingshan collapsed, revealing a huge cave. Since then, several cows and sheep have gone missing from the nearby villages. People say it’s the Mountain God’s wrath.”
I smirked and replied, “Really? I’ll go check it out tomorrow. It’ll be good to do something for the folks around here.”
My father looked worried. “That cave is very sinister; you mustn’t go there. I heard from an old man who was herding cattle that there’s a strange wind at the entrance that can suck an entire cow inside.”
After hearing his words, my curiosity only grew stronger. I promised him, “Alright, I won’t go.”
Even though I hadn’t slept much that night, I felt energized. Early the next morning, I got up and practiced a set of Luohan Fist in the yard. After breakfast, I strolled through the village to help digest my meal.
It had changed so much in just a few years. Almost every household had built new houses. From a distance, I saw our old home standing amidst the new buildings, looking particularly shabby.
A wave of discontent washed over me. Since coming down from the mountain, it was the first time I truly felt the importance of money. I noticed more gray hairs on my father’s head and silently resolved to change things.
I needed to make money—lots of it…
When I turned to look at Daqingshan’s jagged peak surrounded by thin wisps of black mist, although faint, I could see it clearly.
Unable to resist my curiosity any longer, I found myself drawn toward that direction as if something within the cave was calling me.
Standing at the entrance of the cave, I felt a thick aura of darkness that nearly transformed into malevolence. The massive opening resembled a monstrous maw, exhaling a putrid stench.
It was a mix of blood and decaying flesh.
The cave entrance was about three or four stories high, surrounded by rubble that sloped downward. Even in the morning sunlight, only a small area at the entrance was illuminated; deeper inside lay an ink-black void that seemed capable of swallowing light itself.
“Roar… Roar… Roar…”
As I cautiously surveyed my surroundings, a muffled growl echoed in my ears—deep and powerful—as if it were emanating from beneath the ground.
I focused intently, straining to hear, but there was only silence. Suddenly, a rustling sound came from the branches nearby, and out scurried a hedgehog. However, just as it reached the entrance of the cave, before it could make a sound, a long tongue shot out from within and snatched it inside.
Then came the sound of chewing, a crunching noise reminiscent of someone munching on crispy fried dough twists.
A chill ran down my back, and I instinctively took two steps back. It wasn't until the sunlight hit me that I felt a bit of warmth return.
My eyesight was sharp enough; most people would have thought it was some kind of magic trick. But I saw it clearly—a damp, slimy pink tongue, long and thin, with a forked tip like a snake's flickering tongue.
My master always said that in the Great Thousand World, there are wonders beyond imagination. The world reveals only the tip of the iceberg to us.
As I turned to leave, my father's words from last night suddenly echoed in my mind. Cattle and sheep from nearby villages had been mysteriously disappearing. A single cow in a rural area is not just for farming; it's also a significant source of wealth. If I left now, the nearby villages would likely never know peace again.
I took a deep breath, realizing that even if I wasn't some great hero, I couldn't just stand by and watch my village be destroyed. I pulled out the Shari from inside my clothes and placed a Concealment Talisman on myself. The cave was thick with Yin energy; it was possible that Gui Wu could appear. The Concealment Talisman would help prevent my Yang energy from leaking out, which eased my mind somewhat.
I then retrieved my flashlight from the Qiankun Bag and strapped the Ruyi Stick to my back.
With one hand on the end of the Ruyi Stick and the other holding the flashlight, I bent my knees slightly and stepped into the cave. The anticipated tongue did not appear.
As I ventured deeper, it felt as though something was blocking the light from my flashlight; only a faint yellow glow remained—barely distinguishable from darkness.
“Crash… crash…”
The sound of falling stones echoed as if something was crawling across the cave ceiling. I looked up but saw nothing except for a thick shroud of black mist.
“Crack…”
It felt like I stepped on something beneath me that made a sharp noise reverberate through the empty cave. Looking down, I saw a piece of white bone—thick and sturdy—likely a leg bone from a cow or another large animal.
I shone my light around at the ground beneath me; what lay underfoot was not ordinary rock but piles of white bones. A sudden urge to turn and flee surged within me.
Yet curiosity ultimately prevailed. What secrets lay hidden in this suddenly revealed cave?
I took another few steps forward, and this time the sounds grew more pronounced. Through the black mist, I could vaguely make out a shape resembling a Yuanhou scurrying along the cave wall, its long bare tail trailing behind it.
The deeper I ventured into the cave, the colder it became. The air inside was stagnant, filled with the stench of decaying corpses, reminiscent of rotting fish.
I forced myself to push forward despite the nausea, and soon I noticed that the mist was thinning. The pendant around my neck, Shari, emitted a faint yellow glow.
A low, guttural growl echoed through the darkness. I quickly crouched down, my flashlight beam flickering wildly. In that instant, a slimy tongue slithered past above my head. I rolled away like a tumbleweed, catching sight of a humanoid creature clinging to the cave wall.
The creature was entirely white, likely due to years without sunlight. It had no eyes on its face; instead, there were two hollow nostrils exhaling white mist. Its mouth was filled with sharp teeth, devoid of lips, exposing its gums directly. Between its teeth were remnants of unknown animals and tufts of fur. Yellow saliva dripped from the corners of its mouth, and its tail stood erect behind it, flicking like a serpent's tongue.
A thousand thoughts raced through my mind—this thing was grotesque! It wasn't just terrifying; it was revolting.
Though I had narrowly avoided the creature's deadly tongue, icy slime dripped onto my head. Trembling, I reached up to touch it—wet and slippery. I couldn't hold back any longer and leaned against the wall to vomit.
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