Xishuangbanna Valley of Horrors

Chapter 11

I turned the horse's face over, unable to tell if the liquid on it was black water or blood; it looked quite comical. I couldn't help but grin and whisper, "Mr. Ma... Mr. Ma..." Whether he was still slightly dazed or not fully awake, he started mumbling incoherently, like he was talking in his sleep. I suddenly wanted to tease him, so I suppressed a laugh and whispered in his ear, "Ma—Lian—give me back my life—come—give me back my life—come—" Then I even mimicked spitting blood a few times.

Ye Min was amused by my antics, saying I was lucky to have survived such a close call and was still acting recklessly. I knew the joy of surviving such a close call was indescribable, and so was mine, so we both let each other be: I did my fooling around, and she laughed it off. Lü Fang, on the other hand, wasn't completely immersed in this brief little victory. After recovering, seeing my unserious behavior, he stomped his feet in frustration: "Quickly, quickly adjust yourself and continue looking for Su Yan!"

Yes, bare-faced. I was still thinking about her even when I was in dire straits… I frowned deeply, beckoned Ye Min to come and look at Horse Face, and then went to Lu Fang’s side. He was wiping the filth off his body with a resentful expression. I glanced at Ye Min, who had already gone to Horse Face, some distance away from us. My chance had come.

Lowering my voice again, I tried to sound nonchalant, but with a slightly gossipy tone, I quietly asked Lü Fang, "How long have you been together?" To be honest, even now I wasn't entirely sure what their relationship was. Aside from them, everyone else probably only knew half the story. People these days are complicated, so it's best to find out for yourself. My question was just a direct, indirect probe; if he questioned it, it meant they weren't a couple. But if he gave a timeline…

Lu Fang was a little confused. He looked at me, then at Ye Min in the distance: "Huh?"

I interrupted him impatiently, shaking my head: "No, I'm talking about the one who came with you."

Lu Fang was even more confused: "Why...why are you asking this?"

I remained calm and gave a sly smile, saying, "Just curious, tell me all about it." I bet I looked exactly like one of those gossip show hosts who have nothing better to do than chat.

Section 96: The Site of the Broken Stake (8)

When I said that, Lü Fang believed me. "Well... it's been about four years. We met when we entered university; we were in the same class," he told me truthfully.

I felt a little disappointed when I heard that. Oh dear, it's been four years already. That girl without makeup still looks so young, maybe in her early twenties at most. Four years have passed already. What's wrong with kids these days?

I felt a little uneasy; I'd misjudged again, but it was to be expected, and now it's confirmed. Falling in love at first sight with a wife and mother is practically a curse; forget it. As the ancients said, a gentleman doesn't steal another's beauty, and besides, I'm not into that sort of thing. After learning this information, I felt utterly disheartened and didn't want to say anything more. But my opening remarks seemed to have ignited a spark in Lü Fang, who began to chatter on and on.

"Later we became deskmates. She said her name was Su Yan, which I found strange. How could someone have the surname 'Su'? But after chatting, I found out that she and I were from the same place. We were not only classmates and deskmates, but also from the same hometown..."

Gibberish, gibberish...

The more I listened to Lü Fang's so-called "love experiences," the more irritated I became. What was wrong with him? But I couldn't show it, so I could only listen with a furrowed brow and a forced smile—it was truly painful. Seeing how happy Lü Fang seemed as he talked, I really regretted starting this conversation. Thankfully, Ye Min had helped Ma Lian sit up and was walking towards Lü Fang and me. I quickly interrupted him; if Ye Min heard us talking about other women, she'd drown me in jealousy.

Seeing Ye Min come over and that I interrupted him, Lü Fang wisely shut his mouth immediately.

Seeing Ye Min approach, I took a second and a half to adjust my mindset and expression, and asked her with a slightly unnatural tone, "How is he? He didn't suffer a level two disability from the fall, did he?"

You pretend, I pretend, everyone pretends; we live in a "mini-era" where everyone is putting on an act.

Ye Min didn't see anything amiss and immediately chimed in, "Look at what you're saying... It's alright, he's fine, just a big scrape on his elbow, it looks pretty scary." It was easy to tell she was in a good mood when she said that. I glanced behind her, and sure enough, there he was, Horse Face sitting on a low post, panting heavily, just like when I rescued him from the rafters years ago.

Section 97: The Site of the Broken Stake (9)

I chuckled sarcastically, "Alright, it's good that nothing happened." After all that commotion for most of the night, I really wanted to check the time, to make sure I'd escaped this ordeal, and to record this "great" moment. But when I raised my hand, I felt a pang of frustration.

The watch case on my wrist had been crushed into pieces sometime during the night, the distinct cracks laughing wildly in all directions. The hour hand and other hands inside were pinned down by the broken fragments and had stopped moving… It was broken. It was probably caused by the series of bumps and knocks just now… I'm a rather sentimental person; this watch had been with me for many years, and now it's in this state, I can't help but feel a little sad—my Casio!

Sigh, it's my fault. You won't be happy with me.

Ye Min patted me. I was going to laugh and say that I didn't know when I broke the watch, and then pretend to chuckle twice, but suddenly a crow's cry came from somewhere, and I was startled.

The atmosphere began to stiffen, like a corpse.

"Crow" is a common name for a crow, and the cawing of a crow is considered extremely unlucky in Chinese folklore. People generally believe that crows are ominous birds, bringing bad luck. An old proverb says: "When a crow flies over your head, misfortune will surely follow." "Hearing a crow's cry in your home foretells a funeral; hearing a crow's cry brings more misfortune than good fortune." Hearing this sound in this situation, though not as terrifying as a ghost hiding in a hidden room, still instantly weighs heavily on everyone's hearts.

The crow's cawing instantly plunged our spirits to below zero. The atmosphere was so eerie that I felt uncomfortable and wanted to ease the tension. So I coughed a few times and, with a forced smile, said to everyone, "It's just a crow... It's alright, it's alright. The presence of a crow means there are other small lives around here besides us." I thought that would put everyone at ease, but as soon as I finished speaking, Ye Min started trembling all over, her face filled with terror.

"Wh...what's wrong?" I was startled by her unusual behavior and hurriedly shook her shoulders. I couldn't believe I had said anything wrong, could I? After a long moment of panic, Ye Min finally told me, still suspicious—

"Have you noticed... that we've been in those underground tunnels for so long and haven't seen a single rat or anything?" She made no attempt to hide the fear overflowing in her eyes.

Hearing her say that, I realized it seemed to be true. Logically, a place like this should have snakes and rats, and plenty of them, but we hadn't seen a single rat along the way… Could it be that Ye Min and I hadn't noticed them? Or were they actually there? I looked at Lü Fang and Ma Lian with a question in my mind; they were either shaking their heads or looking down, apparently they hadn't seen them either. If that was the case… I felt a chill run down my spine, but then I joked, “It's all water down there, how could we see anything? Besides, that water is constantly being controlled by that mechanism, rising and falling. Even if I were a rat, I wouldn't go there, it'd just be a nuisance!”

Chapter 98: The Soul's Demise on Dragon Street (1)

Negative emotions can significantly impact a team's cooperation and performance. Our team, composed of a few "scumbags," is already pathetic enough; if we were to let some unpleasant incident weigh on our minds... escaping unscathed? It's a pipe dream. While I'm being a bit far-fetched, it's better than saying nothing at all.

I just said it casually, and everyone believed me. Maybe this is what they mean by "desperate people will try anything." I don't have time to think about it much; as long as it works, that's fine. Anyway, I don't want to delve into this issue. Right now, the most important thing is to see where we are right now.

Chapter Thirteen: Soul Lost on Dragon Street

At my suggestion and under my guidance, the group, veins bulging and sweat pouring down their foreheads, began to move forward, inching closer to the street opposite the white curtain, trying to leave it behind little by little. But just as I was nervously moving forward, someone suddenly patted me on the back.

1. Dragon-Suppressing Altar

2 clues

Chapter Thirteen: Soul Lost on Dragon Street

1. Dragon-Suppressing Altar

The soft moonlight bathed the earth, and our breaths, filled with joy at seeing the light of day again, were heavy with happiness. The moonlight in the deep night was particularly graceful; looking up, a crescent moon hung in the sky, visible only by the moon itself, without a single cloud. I never imagined that March could bring such a night, "without gloomy clouds, without dazzling stars." If it were a full moon, it would be even better. I noticed that even the crescent moon had a halo, and with the night sky so clear, the whole world was exposed to its bright light. I happily turned off my flashlight; it was no longer needed. Nestled against the mountains and beside the water, the night was its own. By the moonlight, I could easily see the still indistinct buildings in front, behind, to the left, and to the right, while we stood on a rather large, altar-shaped field.

The arena is oval, the ball court is square, the dance floor is circular, but the altar we are in is strangely shaped. Why do I say that? The ground beneath our feet is overflowing with black water, filthy and disgusting, and all around us are dark, murky buildings. At first glance, nothing seems amiss, but upon closer inspection, it's not hard to see that we are at some height, while the buildings in the distance appear to be at a lower level. It is precisely because of this that it is called an "altar."

The altar was surrounded by a protective railing, but it wasn't built very high, so its function was minimal. If you climbed up, there was a seemingly endless stone staircase below, its winding steps appearing and disappearing in the darkness. I noticed that the east, west, and south sides of the altar were identical, all connected by the same stone staircase; only the north side was unclear.

Chapter 99: The Soul's Demise on Dragon Street (2)

The steep wall drops straight down to the north, completely empty. Looking down from the top of the altar on the north side is like looking down from a height of more than five stories. It's night now, and below is only darkness and emptiness.

These observations sent chills down my spine. I returned to the group and stared blankly at the "Nine-Snake Scorpion Tail Stakes": they were no longer noisy and stood quietly in the middle of the altar, extending from the center all the way to the north side of the altar. If we had been a little less lucky and been thrown a little too far, the consequences would have been unimaginable.

I reached for my watch again, only to realize it was long gone. My anxiety returned, and I blurted out, "What time is it?" The wind whistled as soon as I finished speaking, and I knew the answer from the expressions on everyone's faces.

"What do we do now?" Lü Fang asked me.

"Let's find a way out." You're not going to sit here and wait for dawn, are you?

Standing atop the altar, a rather strange feeling washed over us. Our group of six had entered this place, and despite the dire situation, we didn't seem to have traveled very far. So, where were we? At first, standing by the roadside, we thought it was just a small world within a walled enclosure, not very large or anything special. But once inside, we discovered a completely different world beyond the high walls. Hidden behind the ruins was a massive, sloping mountainside, and all these buildings were constructed on this mountain gully. Although called a slope, its overall horizontal position wasn't very steep; therefore, we only roughly described the terrain as a "basin." This basin connected to another mountain range, with the buildings extending from the slope into the mountains behind it.

Therefore, even in broad daylight, let alone at night, it's uncertain whether one could fully appreciate the place in one visit. Who knows just how big this place is?

The sheer size of the complex gave me a headache. Wandering around like this wasn't a solution, but we had no useful information about the place. If we kept wandering aimlessly, we'd eventually run out of energy. But staying put wasn't an option either. While waiting until dawn would be much better, I couldn't just ignore Su Yan because of what Lü Fang said, especially since I'd solemnly promised on the stone arch bridge that I'd be responsible for her safety. A man's word is his bond; I can't take it lightly.

Chapter 100: The Soul's Demise on Dragon Street (3)

While everyone was looking around, I stood there having a fierce internal struggle.

Alright, saving her is the priority. Whether she's alive or dead, we need to find her first before worrying about these other things. I don't know if Su Yan is considered family to Lü Fang, but I understand the pain of losing a loved one. So even if there's only a sliver of hope, we have to make the most of it. That's what I said, that's what I thought, but how do we even begin to search for a needle in a haystack?

As I was pondering what to do, Ye Min sidled over, and soon after, Lü Fang and Ma Lian also arrived. They must have all seen it too; while we haven't yet found anything in the area that poses a direct threat, the frustrating thing is—we have to make a choice again. As you can see, there are paths to the east, south, and west.

Nothing is more stressful than making choices, and the key to this stress is overthinking.

I guessed that Lü Fang and the other two were more interested in the unfathomable north. After they finished looking around, they started chattering away about all sorts of things to do in the north. I had other things on my mind, so I didn't join in or stop them, but after listening to what they were saying for a while, I couldn't help but chime in.

"Are you guys sick or what? Even if you did see that thing before, who told you that the underworld was down there? You're all college students or university students, how can you believe in this stuff? Are you all Buddhists? Do you have any faith? Then you haven't bothered to find out what the gates of the underworld are like in Buddhist and Taoist teachings, or where they are. Who told you that the entrance to the eighteen levels of hell is somewhere in Yunnan? That's outrageous!"

It's already frustrating enough, and these three idiots still have the nerve to discuss this. It's true that we should be polite and courteous, but just like some people are born to be beaten, some people are born to be scolded. Throughout history, how many such people have there been?

Lu Fang and the others fell silent upon hearing this. Wanting to confirm that they hadn't suffered brain damage in the recent catastrophe, Ye Min whispered in defense, "We saw it was black down there..."

"So what if it's black? It's just dark and tall buildings! The drainpipes in my bathroom are black too, aren't they? Are they some kind of entrance to hell?!" I retorted angrily. A good child knows how to admit their mistakes and correct them, but this kid not only doesn't repent but also dares to argue. If this were ancient times, those who spread rumors and mislead the public would be executed; if it were during the Cultural Revolution, they would have been denounced and struggled against to death.

Chapter 101: The Soul's Demise on Dragon Street (4)

Hearing about the underworld and the netherworld made me furious; it was like rubbing salt in the wound. Seeing my anger, Ye Min didn't dare say anything more. I pinched the bridge of my nose to calm myself down a bit, and asked them politely, "See the steps?"

Everyone nodded. I glanced at the horse-faced man and continued, "What we are advocating now is harmony, democracy, and fairness. Let everyone vote on which path we take this time, so that the majority can prevail."

It's better to avoid trouble. Since it's a thankless task, it's better to take it easy this way. The battle on the underground stone bridge has left me severely weakened and basically unusable. Now, I have no idea which way to go.

After hesitating and discussing for a while, no one could reach a consensus. The final choice was: Ye Min to the east, Lü Fang to the south, and Ma Lian to the west. Upon hearing this, I felt completely drained. I sincerely questioned whether they were even colleagues working at the same company, as there wasn't a single thing I could call "tacit understanding" between them.

Finally, everyone's eyes turned to me. "Which way do you think we should go, Mr. Yang?"

I then realized I'd done something incredibly foolish. I'd tried to deflect the ball towards them with a Tai Chi-like maneuver, but it'd bounced back. Right now, whichever side I choose, it's a 2-1 advantage. In other words, ultimately, it's up to me to decide where things end up.

I felt both annoyed and amused, and kept comforting myself with the thought that the capable should do more work, the capable should do more work... Under the gaze of everyone, I pretended to think for a while, and then said casually, "Then let's go east. The east looks better. We Chinese people always want good luck in everything we do. People say that when the sun rises in the east, the sky is full of purple clouds. So let's go in the direction where the sun rises, and we're sure to have hope."

Ye Min was very happy to see that I had made the same choice as her.

The decision went smoothly; no one objected, and Lü Fang and Ma Lian, after a brief discussion, agreed with my idea. Once everyone had ascended the platform on the east side of the altar and were descending the steps, I nervously glanced at the dark northern side of the altar's top. The entrance to the underworld? This…

At the time, I only guessed that this place was the top of an altar, but I didn't know that it had a very nice name - the Dragon-Suppressing Altar.

"We're here." Ye Min reminded me not to fall behind. I responded and followed the others, feeling my way down the stone steps. The steps were quite steep, and we descended very carefully and with great effort. After only a short while, we were all drenched in sweat, and I was also aching all over, feeling utterly miserable.

Chapter 102: The Soul's Demise on Dragon Street (5)

Most of us were born in the 1980s. Unlike our revolutionary predecessors who endured hardship and trials like being sent to the countryside or participating in rural labor camps, our generation had far better living conditions. If we were born into wealthy families or were only children, we had no chance to experience hardship. You talk about fitness? Even now, most people go to gyms just to build a show-off physique—they're all just pretty faces. And joining the army for training? What a joke! The rule that "all soldiers must have buzz cuts" alone would scare away a huge number of non-mainstream individuals.

Times have changed. Kids these days eat better and think more, so while our generation's education level has improved, our physical fitness is nowhere near as robust as that of our predecessors from the 1950s and 60s. Our physical fitness is slightly worse… well, after all that climbing, throwing, running, and jumping along the way, apart from the painful injuries, every part of our body is aching terribly, especially the inner and outer thighs. Walking on flat ground is fine, but going downhill or on steep stairs and steps is a different story; we just can't keep up.

Everyone was grimacing and frowning as they struggled, stopping and starting repeatedly, all in great pain. I thought it would have been better if I had brought some liniment instead of floral water, but even if I had, it would still be sitting in that shack, completely useless.

After finally climbing the stone steps, we were all exhausted and collapsed onto the ground, feeling utterly drained. The area beneath the altar wasn't as bright as the top. I glanced back at the top; it was indeed quite high. Now, the top was no longer visible, only the crescent moon silently overlooking us. Visibility around us wasn't as good as at the top, but it was still passable. Looking ahead, I saw the view below the steps to the east of the altar's top. This time, we were facing a street.

No, it should be called small streets and alleys.

2 clues

The streets and alleys that come into view give only one feeling at first glance—desolation.

The streets and alleys were lined with dilapidated shops. It was dark, and our eyesight was failing. This place is also quite old, so it was difficult to tell what these shops did in the past. However, based on my intuition, it did resemble the south gate of the city. Exploring this place in broad daylight would certainly be a unique experience. I have a deep interest in ancient towns and tourist attractions throughout China; you could say I have a special fondness for them. But right now…

Chapter 103: The Soul Dies on Dragon Street (6)

The streets were desolate, the night was still, and we stared speechlessly at the unfamiliar alleyways. Then, a wind picked up, rushing into the dark, deserted streets and disappearing behind us, leaving a trail of whooshing sounds, like many people sobbing at the same time. We were already trembling with fear, not to mention the broken doors and windows swaying in the wind, creaking and groaning, the hollow sounds striking our empty psychological defenses. This experience was indescribable.

Fear as it may be, we couldn't just stay put, could we? Our legs were still twitching, making it impossible to climb back to the top of the altar. All we could do was traverse this ancient street. But looking at this place, it was no different from the "ghost town" described in horror novels… Some traditional beliefs, deeply ingrained for many years, suddenly surged forth. Regardless of whether it was real or not, the sheer shock of being there was overwhelming.

“We have no choice but to go,” Lü Fang suggested softly. Ye Min looked left and right, then agreed in a low voice. Of course, we couldn't stay in this stalemate. I understood the principle that time is money, and money is life. I swallowed hard and squeezed out a single word: “Let’s go.” My voice was extremely soft, as if we were about to cross not a quiet, deserted old street, but the conquered dwarven kingdom from *The Lord of the Rings*. If we made even the slightest noise, we would face swarms of orcs and the ancient evil beast, the Balrog… I didn’t want that, so I gestured for the three of us to be quiet, and even made a concession to my horse-faced friend, agreeing to a temporary truce. We could talk about anything after we got through this messy alley. For now, everyone be quiet, and move forward slowly, keeping close together! After taking a couple of steps, I gave Ye Min another important warning: “You walk with your mouth covered! No matter what happens or what you see, don’t say a word, just stare!”

What followed was simple yet tense. Like thieves, we crept together into the streets of this "ghostly dormitory." We walked for a long time, but nothing of what we had imagined would happen. This made me feel deeply humiliated; we had been scaring ourselves unnecessarily.

Let them humiliate us. At least we have people with us, and no outsiders will see. It's better than anything happening. It's worth sacrificing our dignity for this minute's safety.

Section 104: The Rain Arrives Slowly (1)

Just as I was thinking, I suddenly felt Ye Min tighten her grip on my wrist. Like a chain reaction, I stopped immediately because of her force. Lu Fang and Ma Lian were following behind us, and when we stopped, they were forced to stop as well.

"Wh...what's wrong?" Lü Fang turned his head and asked me in a low voice, his expression changing rapidly, like a revolving lantern. Ye Min and I remained silent, watching intently. Lü Fang glanced in our direction, his eyes widening as he grabbed my shoulder. Though it hurt, I didn't dare utter a sound. Wasn't it obvious? Was this even possible under normal circumstances? A pitch-black night, a pitch-black street, a white curtain hanging over a dark, dilapidated door?

A gust of wind picked up again, and the pale white curtain fluttered violently against the dilapidated door not far in front of us, nearly making everyone cower in fright. My heart leaped into my throat again, and after swallowing hard once more, I gestured for everyone to follow me very, very quietly, slowly, very slowly around it from the other side.

At my suggestion and under my guidance, the group, their foreheads bulging with veins and sweat pouring down their faces, began to move forward, inching closer to the street opposite the white curtain, trying to leave it behind little by little. But just as I was nervously moving forward, someone suddenly patted me on the back.

Chapter Fourteen: The Rain Arrives Slowly

The sound of the door opening was particularly jarring in the quiet of the night. As soon as the door opened, oh dear, dust particles that had been sealed away for over a hundred years came tumbling towards us, the smell so strong that my eyes watered and I couldn't even open them.

1 sign

2 Tricks

Chapter Fourteen: The Rain Arrives Slowly

1 sign

I swear I wasn't scared enough to jump, but my hair stood on end. I turned around and stared at him wide-eyed before realizing the "culprit" was still Lü Fang. "Are you fucking crazy? You've slapped me twice already! You know that could kill someone?" I really wanted to yell at him, but the environment wouldn't allow it, so I had to suppress my voice and say this to him.