Mysteriöses Brennen - Kapitel 24
Lin Feng, still shaken, looked at the tentacles still wriggling on the man's body and said, "Let's hurry up and leave!"
Coming down was easy, but going up was difficult, and the slope was very steep, leaving the two of them panting heavily. It took them more than half an hour to climb to the top, and both of them were soaked in sweat.
As soon as he stepped out of the cave, Lin Feng greedily inhaled the fresh air. He had been so tired inside that he felt like he had never breathed such fresh air before.
Qiqi wiped the sweat from her forehead and said, "Let's go back to the hotel first."
Lin Feng looked back at the cave, spat into it, and said, "Do you think this is a monster or an evil spirit?"
Qiqi said, "It's a bit of both. This cave is the monster's mouth. Those who were eaten by it couldn't ascend to heaven and became evil spirits that obeyed its commands. They would come out at night to bewitch people and make them willingly walk into its mouth and become its delicious meal. Of course, this guy's own spiritual power is not small either. Otherwise, if he only controlled a hundred or so wronged ghosts, the vengeful spirits might backfire, and he would be seriously injured even if he didn't die."
Lin Feng nodded and said, "Is that so?"
The two took out their backpacks and walked towards Lin Feng, intending to return to the hotel.
Volume 2, Chapter 28: Ghost Manor (12)
Lin Feng collapsed at the inn without saying a word, going straight to his room and lying down. The scene in the cave had been quite a shock to him. Although he had seen headless, disemboweled, and missing limbs, he had never seen anything so completely naked (note: not referring to being stripped of clothes). Especially the eyeballs moving within the unclosed eyelids—that left a very deep impression on him.
The sunlight streaming in through the window warmed Lin Feng's entire body. He squinted, trying to pull his thoughts away from the pink corpse. When was the last time he'd basked in the sun so comfortably? Maybe it was in college, or when he was an editor at a small newspaper; he couldn't remember at all. Since joining the Special Investigation Department, he hadn't felt this relaxed at all.
Lin Feng suddenly wondered why he was thinking about these things now. His thoughts drifted, and the pink corpse jumped back into view. "Damn it!" Lin Feng shook his head violently on the bed, trying to get rid of the body.
There was a knock at the door, two knocks, then two more, the knocker sounding very cautious. Lin Feng, too lazy to get up, said listlessly, "The door's unlocked, come in!"
The door opened a crack, and there stood the girl from the inn. She poked her head in and said, "Brother Lin, you must be hungry after being out all morning. Come and have something to eat!"
Lin Feng suddenly felt a little hungry after the girl mentioned it. He smiled gratefully at her and said, "Okay, is Qiqi still outside?"
The girl said, "I've been here all along. We just cooked together!"
Lin Feng nodded and followed the girl out.
Upon reaching the small dining table behind the registration desk, four delicate dishes were already laid out, emitting an enticing aroma. At this moment, Lin Feng had completely forgotten what had just happened; his eyes were fixed on the steaming food. Once his appetite was whetted, it wasn't easy to suppress it.
When Lin Feng reached the table, the first dish that caught his eye was "Sweet and Sour Pork," its exterior coated in a vibrant, appealing caramel color. Normally, Lin Feng would have rushed over and devoured it, but now the steaming chunks of meat resembled the twitching pink muscles of a corpse.
Lin Feng almost vomited immediately, and had to pat his chest several times to stop himself.
Seeing Lin Feng's pale face and pained expression, Qiqi asked with concern, "What's wrong? Are you alright?"
Lin Feng waved his hand and said, "It's okay, you guys eat. I don't know why, but I suddenly lost my appetite."
Seeing Lin Feng's wry smile, Qiqi knew the problem and didn't insist, saying, "Then go and rest for a bit. We still have to go tonight!"
The girl blinked her big eyes and said, "What's wrong, Brother Lin? Do you think my cooking isn't good?" She pouted, pretending to be angry.
Qiqi laughed and said, "Don't stop him. What happened this morning left a deep impression on him, and he probably won't forget it so easily!" As she spoke, she deliberately picked up a piece of pork tenderloin and put it in her mouth.
Lin Feng glared at her fiercely, then turned and walked outside.
Lin Feng, with his head down, had just stepped out of the registration desk when he almost bumped into someone coming from the opposite direction.
Lin Feng quickly took a few steps back, and just as he said sorry, he felt a chill run through him. Lin Feng immediately looked at the person standing in the doorway. Qi Qi had obviously also felt the cold aura from before, and was now standing behind Lin Feng, watching the newcomer warily.
The man's attire was rather strange. Although it was September, the weather in Xinjiang was still very hot. Yet, he was wrapped tightly in a large overcoat, and his shoes were the kind of thick military boots that could easily shatter anyone's jaw with a single kick. The collar of the overcoat was turned up, obscuring the lower half of his face, revealing only a pair of cold, sinister eyes fixed intently on Lin Feng.
Lin Feng was startled because the man's pupils were vertical, forming a thin, straight line, staring intently at Lin Feng like a snake, emanating a strange and evil aura.
The moment Lin Feng met the man's gaze, a sudden, inexplicable panic gripped his heart. The man's imposing aura was overwhelming, immediately giving Lin Feng a taste of his power. The two siblings sitting at the table were also suffocated by the immense pressure. Only Qiqi, standing behind Lin Feng, remained remarkably calm as she watched the man.
The man stared at Lin Feng for a long time, his vertical pupils darting left and right before his gaze settled on Qiqi. Lin Feng clearly felt his breath catch in his throat, while Qiqi remained calm and composed.
Qiqi glanced at the man and asked with a smile, "Are you staying at the inn, sir?"
The man looked at Qiqi and shook his head, unmoving.
Kiki then asked, "Oh? What brings you here?"
Two soft hissing sounds came from the man's mouth, which was covered by his trench coat, and he said, "I've come to tell you something!" He spoke haltingly, with a very strange tone and impure pronunciation, and none of his syllables had any inflection.
Qiqi, still with that charming smile, asked, "What is it?"
The man hissed again, and this time Lin Feng saw it clearly. As he hissed, a red shadow darted out from the collar of his trench coat and flashed twice. Lin Feng immediately felt a cold sweat break out on his back; he thought of snakes. Vertical pupils, the hissing sound, and that bright red tongue—could this person be a snake demon? Over the years, Lin Feng had seen many wronged spirits and vengeful ghosts, but he had never seen a monster before.
The man stammered again, "It's my business, you'd better mind your own business. Next time I go to that cave, I won't be so polite!" He emphasized the seriousness of the matter by speaking the last word.
Qiqi frowned and said, "That's not necessarily up to you!"
A sharp glint flashed in the man's eyes. He didn't answer Qiqi's question, but turned to the brother and sister sitting blankly behind the table and said, "You'd better leave here. Considering that I have a relationship with your ancestors, I have never harmed you. Why did you ignore my warnings and stay here?"
The two siblings exchanged a glance, completely clueless about what he was talking about.
Volume 2, Chapter 29: Ghost Manor (13)
Fearing that he might harm the two siblings, Qiqi and Lin Feng quickly stepped forward to stand in front of the registration desk to face this strange visitor.
The man glanced at the two of them and hissed. The sound was loud, as if he had been provoked by Lin Feng and Qiqi. Although Qiqi was also secretly on guard, she remained relaxed, unlike Lin Feng, who looked as if facing a formidable enemy, sweating profusely.
With a smile, Qiqi said, "Can you tell me your name? And why won't you let us go to that cave? If what you say makes sense, then we don't have to go."
The man hissed repeatedly, as if he were furious, but he also seemed quite wary of Qiqi and dared not provoke her easily.
He began to breathe rapidly, and after a while, he said, "My name is Shen. That cave is very important; mortals cannot go there, not even if you are a demon."
Lin Feng said, "What? Your name is Kidney? Dog Kidney or Pig Kidney?"
The man retorted angrily, "I am a mirage dragon, not some dog kidney or cow kidney." After talking with Lin Feng and the others for a while, his speech had gradually become more fluent.
Lin Feng repeated "Mirage Dragon, Mirage Dragon" twice, then suddenly looked up and said, "You're a Mirage Dragon? The legendary Mirage Dragon that specializes in creating illusions?"
Shen was very satisfied with Lin Feng's surprised expression and nodded smugly.
In legend, the mirage dragon is a creature that can create pavilions and towers by spewing breath from its mouth. Ancient tales tell of travelers on the verge of death in the desert who suddenly see magnificent buildings rising from vast oases, and in their joy and exhaustion, they chase after them, only to be unable to catch them—this was the work of the mirage dragon. There are also accounts of vast stretches of land suddenly appearing without warning in the ocean, complete with grazing cattle and sheep—again, the work of the mirage dragon. Ancient Chinese tales of the strange and supernatural, such as the *Classic of Mountains and Seas*, Gan Bao's *Searching for Oneself*, and Pu Songling's *Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio*, all contain accounts of this phenomenon. A modern explanation is that it is a mirage created by the refraction of light under suitable weather conditions.
But mirages usually roam in vast deserts or oceans, so how could they appear in this small mountain village? Lin Feng looked at this creature that called itself a mirage, puzzled. Mirages usually create illusions on a grand scale, either vast expanses of green land or towering palaces and pavilions. This creature, however, specifically controls people's minds, making them walk right into its trap. Is it just because it's greedy? Moreover, judging from its strange eyes, this creature looks exactly like a snake, not the majestic dragon one might imagine.
Shen seemed to sense Lin Feng's doubt and was furious at his suspicion. She slowly folded her collar and laid it flat, revealing the lower half of her face.
Seeing the lower half of his face only strengthened Lin Feng's belief that he was a snake rather than a dragon. His upper jaw protruded exaggeratedly, while his lower jaw curved into a line that narrowed to his neck. In folk terms, this guy had an overbite, meaning he basically had no chin.
The mirage glanced at Lin Feng, then hissed and spat out a red tongue that, like a sharp sword, pierced straight for Lin Feng's throat without warning. Lin Feng was startled and instinctively took several steps back, only stopping when he bumped into the registration desk. This sudden attack left Lin Feng feeling quite embarrassed.
Although Lin Feng was somewhat wary of the Mirage's oppressive aura, it only fueled his anger and fighting spirit. He silently shouted, "Crimson Fire!" and his right hand immediately conjured a dark red light.
The brother and sister, who had never seen Lin Feng's spirit sword before, immediately widened their eyes as they stared at the dark red light emanating from Lin Feng's hand. It was as if they were characters from martial arts novels, able to gather their inner energy into a sword. In reality, Lin Feng's spirit sword was fundamentally different from what they had imagined. Lin Feng's spirit sword was only effective against vengeful spirits and ghosts—things with heavy yin energy and spiritual power. It would be completely ineffective against humans. Qiqi's "Bluetooth," on the other hand, was effective against both humans and ghosts, but it was a level below Lin Feng's spirit sword when it came to dealing with vengeful spirits.
However, Lin Feng had no idea whether his spirit sword would be effective against a creature like Shen. But seeing how desperately this guy devoured people and controlled the resentful souls of the unjustly killed, he figured his Yin energy couldn't be too low.
When Shen saw Lin Feng's right hand transform into a crimson light, he was greatly surprised. From the moment he met Lin Feng, he hadn't taken him seriously, considering him merely a second-rate psychic. He never imagined that Lin Feng possessed a hidden spiritual sword, its blade shimmering with a faint, shifting dark red light—his spiritual energy was astonishing. His surprise was mixed with great joy; he thought that consuming such a high-level psychic and absorbing his spiritual energy would be equivalent to consuming hundreds of ordinary people and cultivating for hundreds of years.
Overjoyed, the mirage pounced on Lin Feng, its forked tongue flashing as it shot towards him. This time, Lin Feng was prepared; with a wave of his hand, a screen of light instantly appeared in front of him.
The mirage was extremely wary of Lin Feng's spirit sword; its forked tongue retreated hastily before even touching the light barrier. Just as it was preparing for its next attack, a streak of blue light flashed from the side, slashing straight at it. The mirage was greatly startled. Where did so many experts come from? Someone even knew how to use a spirit sword! Although its spiritual energy was weaker than Lin Feng's spirit sword, its yin energy was extremely heavy. If it were hit, it would be severely injured, if not killed. In a panic, it quickly somersaulted backwards and flipped out of the house, barely dodging this silent sneak attack.
When Shen saw from outside the house that the one who had ambushed him was the smiling demon girl, he was furious. He thought to himself, "As a demon, even if you don't want to help me, you shouldn't be helping a human against me." So he said to Qiqi, "Why are you helping a human when you're a demon?"
Qiqi smiled calmly and said, "What demon? I'm human!" She didn't want Shen to reveal her secret of not being human in front of her siblings, so she immediately denied it.
Shen glanced at the blazing sun in the sky, cursing it inwardly. Pointing at Lin Feng and Qi Qi, he said, "You two damned bastards! If my Mirage Dragon Pill hadn't been stolen, you would both be dead by now!"
The Mirage Dragon Pill that Shen spoke of was the culmination of his hundreds of years of cultivation, an inner core containing his very essence. Three days ago, it was mysteriously stolen, infuriating him. With his connection to the Mirage Dragon Pill, he could certainly catch the thief, but having lost most of his spiritual energy, walking in the sunlight would be extremely dangerous. So, for the past few nights, he had targeted those with strong spiritual power. However, even the strongest ordinary person's spiritual power had its limits, and it took him three days to absorb enough spiritual energy to appear in the sunlight. Originally, he intended to catch the pill thief as soon as he emerged, but remembering that the two individuals who had harassed him twice also possessed considerable spiritual power—which would be greatly beneficial if absorbed—he decided to first confront Lin Feng and Qi Qi. He thought dealing with these two would be a piece of cake, but his carelessness nearly led to a serious loss.
Volume 2, Chapter 30: Ghost Manor (14)
Enraged, Shen's face turned a ghastly red, the kind that comes from someone who's had too much to eat. With a rip, Shen tore her trench coat in half and threw it away, glaring angrily at Lin Feng and Qi Qi.
It's important to know that using one's power under sunlight depletes spiritual energy much faster than usual. However, weighing the options, absorbing the spiritual energy of these two would not only fully replenish his own but also greatly enhance it. Therefore, when his sneak attack failed, he immediately decided to kill them.
The torn coat spun strangely in the air before slowly falling to the ground. Lin Feng glanced at the fallen coat unconsciously. After one glance, he couldn't help but look again. In that brief moment of distraction, Shen had already rushed over, clenching its fist, the size of a bowl, and slamming it down towards Lin Feng, its forked tongue shooting out at the same time.
Lin Feng's "Crimson Flame" slashed mercilessly at Shen's wrist, while simultaneously shifting his body to avoid the venomous red tongue. At the same time, Qi Qi's "Bluetooth" pierced Shen's body.
The ease with which the attack was achieved surprised both of them. Even the brother and sister who were peeking from behind the door were astonished. They had expected a fierce battle, but the seemingly powerful Mirage turned out to be so easily defeated.
However, Lin Feng and Qi Qi immediately noticed the problem: Lin Feng's "Crimson Flame" passed right through Shen's wrist, without any of the tearing sensation expected of a direct hit. Qi Qi, having used too much force, lunged forward and passed right through Shen's body. It turned out to be just an illusion. No wonder he was a master at creating illusions; Lin Feng immediately thought of the trench coat that Shen had left on the ground and looked towards it.
The trench coat was gone! Lin Feng and Qi Qi were both very puzzled; it had just been tossed on the ground and disappeared in the blink of an eye. As they were wondering what was going on, they suddenly felt the ground slowly sinking. Looking down, they realized it wasn't the ground that was sinking, but rather their feet were sinking into the earth.
Startled, the two tried to pull themselves out, but their struggles only made them sink faster. Lin Feng shouted to the brother and sister hiding behind the door, "Quick, go to my room and get my backpack!"
Before Lin Feng could finish speaking, the young man quickly ran to the room and grabbed Lin Feng's backpack. He shouted to Lin Feng, "Catch!" and threw it at him. The distance from the doorway to where Lin Feng was stuck was only three to five meters. Lin Feng naturally reached out and caught the backpack.
Lin Feng frantically opened his backpack, pulled out several talismans, examined them, and then lit one with a lighter. He gritted his teeth, bit his tongue, and spat blood onto the talisman, shouting, "Break!" The flames surged after the blood hit the talisman. The surroundings seemed to tremble slightly, but nothing changed. The difference was that the mirage's body, which had been standing there, was gone, and the two found themselves still standing on the ground, not sinking into it.
Finally breaking the illusion, Lin Feng wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth. But where was that guy? Before Lin Feng could find the answer, he heard a rustling sound all around him. The sound grew closer and faster, becoming the sound of orderly footsteps. A figure appeared on the other side of the street, walking towards them. His movements seemed very stiff, just like the person they had seen being led away by the illusion that night.
Even in broad daylight, they're experiencing illusions; it seems the mirage is desperate. But what about these people? If they fight, these mindless people probably won't be afraid of being attacked. If they try to kill, they probably won't be able to kill many before being crushed to death by the swarm of unconscious people. Besides, they wouldn't be able to bring themselves to do that.
Lin Feng cursed the guy inwardly for being cunning, putting him in this dilemma. Qi Qi suddenly said, "I think that guy's main body is still in that cave. Why don't we go there and maybe we can destroy him from his main body?"
Lin Feng gritted his teeth. He didn't have time to think anymore. He could only say to the brother and sister at the door, "Close the door. These villagers who have lost their minds are probably targeting the two of us. You should be fine hiding inside." The two siblings quickly closed the door and hid inside the shop.
Lin Feng and Qi Qi hurriedly ran towards the edge of the village, only to find the main road already crowded with villagers. They had no choice but to turn back and run along a side path. Although there were people on the side path, there were only about a dozen, and although they were their target, they were too disoriented to keep up with the two of them. Lin Feng, pulling Qi Qi along, dodged the dozen or so men with bloodshot eyes, baring their white teeth, drool dripping from their mouths—men more like dogs than humans—and ran swiftly towards the woods.
He finally broke into the woods, leaving the villagers behind him nowhere to be seen. But Lin Feng didn't think he was out of danger so easily. He knew that if he lingered even for a moment, those mindless guys would rush up behind him.
The two of them walked through the woods without stopping and arrived near the cave entrance. As if knowing that the two of them were coming, the cave entrance closed tightly, leaving only a crack, which surprised Lin Feng and Qi Qi.
Lin Feng cautiously approached the cave entrance. Before he even reached it, the cave suddenly opened wide, unleashing a deafeningly sharp roar. The sound nearly knocked Lin Feng to the ground, and the leaves in the forest rustled and fell to the ground.
Lin Feng and Qi Qi were both stunned by the power of the roar.
Just as the two came to their senses, the mountain in front of them suddenly began to shake violently, stirring up dust and mist. They quickly retreated into the woods, watching the shaking mountain.
After the fog dissipated, the two stared in disbelief at a monster tens of meters long standing arrogantly in front of the mountain. The monster was covered in thick scales that gleamed with an eerie blue light in the sunlight. Its forked tongue rapidly contracted, and its four short, stocky claws pawed incessantly, creating a smoky mess on the ground.
"This is the true form of the Mirage. It seems that what went there just now was only its spiritual form, a kind of distant god!" Qiqi said to Lin Feng beside her!
Lin Feng stared at it for a while and said, "No matter how I look at it, this guy is just a treacherous giant lizard. He doesn't have a trace of a dragon."
Qiqi said worriedly, "Whether it's a snake or a dragon, how are we going to deal with something this big!"
Lin Feng simply said one word to Qi Qi: "Run!"
Qiqi rolled her eyes at him and said, "Where are we going? If he finds us, do you think the two of us can outrun him?"
Lin Feng sighed and said, "Then what should we do?"
As the two discussed their strategy, the mirage's eyes scanned the surroundings, searching for their hiding place. After searching for a while without finding them, it angrily raised its tail and slammed it heavily against the rocks. The immense force of its tail shattered a large rock into pieces.
Volume 2, Chapter 31: Ghost Manor (15)
Lin Feng was somewhat terrified. To say he wasn't afraid would be a lie. No normal person could remain completely fearless in the face of such a gigantic monster. It was just that Lin Feng's fear wasn't as obvious in front of Qi Qi. Besides, being afraid now was useless; the most important thing was to come up with a plan. Otherwise, Qi Qi might escape today thanks to her indestructible body, while he, weighing over a hundred pounds, would probably become a snack for the mirage, and in a few days, turn into filthy excrement to irrigate beautiful nature.
What's worse, the two discovered that the villagers, who were stiff and out of their minds, had caught up with them.
As the two were caught in a dilemma, the mirage suddenly mustered its strength and blew towards the woods. The only place nearby where they could hide was this grove of trees. The breath exhaled from the mirage swept through the woods like a typhoon, and the stench was indescribable—worse than plunging headfirst into a cesspool after a three-and-a-half somersault.