Uncanny Valley

Chapter 24

The old priest took Li Dingguo's blood and used a unique method to make a blood vial. This "blood vial" witnessed the Hamo tribe's great victory against the demon and became the tribe's most precious "sacred object".

According to the hereditary tradition of the Hamo tribe, Helai should have become the new tribal chief, but she refused: "Let the brave Aliya be everyone's chief. As for me, I have more important things to do."

The "important thing" Helai mentioned was safeguarding the tribe's sacred relic: the blood vial. She proclaimed herself "Holy Maiden," and although she did not have the power to lead the tribe, she lived alone and was not subject to anyone's control.

The day Li Dingguo was killed was designated as the tribe's "Holy War Day." Every year at this time, the priest would gather all the people of the tribe for sacrificial rites to celebrate the victory in the "holy war."

One of the most important parts of the ritual was to curse Li Dingguo's soul. At this time, the holy maiden would always wear a blood vial on her chest and stand with her back to the people.

“My body is pure. Your vicious curses must first be cleansed through my body before they can represent the power of justice,” she explained of her actions.

The story of "holy war" and "blood vials" has been passed down among the Hamo people for generations. After hundreds of years, its significance has long transcended the realm of war. That heroic epic has become the most sacred belief in the hearts of the entire people, and a spiritual pillar that allows them to stand firm in the face of any difficulties and desperate situations.

Chapter Twenty-Five: The Blood Bottle Thief

Although the story was over, everyone's thoughts remained turbulent, each lost in silent contemplation amidst the drizzling rain. After a long while, Zhou Liwei spoke up, "Alas, who would have thought that such a small blood vial concealed such a thrilling and epic history?" He had always scoffed at talk of "demons" and "curses," but his sentiments at this moment were genuine. "So you should know how important this sacred object is to our tribe," Anmi sighed in a deep voice, looking at Luo Fei with his dark, bright eyes.

Luo Fei knew that the other person had remembered his mistake of breaking the blood vial again. In this atmosphere, it was inevitably a little awkward. He touched his nose and took the opportunity to change the subject: "Yes, it is very important... but how exactly did that young man steal something so important?"

At the mention of that person, Anmi immediately became furious. He gritted his teeth, and the veins on his forehead bulged: "That despicable and shameless scoundrel! He took advantage of the hospitality and kindness of the Hamo people! He deceived us!"

"cheat?"

“Yes.” Seeing Anmi’s agitation, Sotulan took over the conversation, “At least at the beginning, he disguised himself as a friend of the Hamo people.”

"How do you disguise yourself?" Luo Fei seemed determined to get to the bottom of it.

"That was a year ago. He suddenly appeared in our village. He came alone and brought some very interesting gifts for Lord Anmi. We Hamo people have always welcomed guests from afar. That evening, Lord Anmi hosted a banquet in this courtyard and warmly entertained him."

"What kind of person is he?" Luo Fei suddenly interjected, believing that as an elderly wise man, Sotulan's ability to judge people should be very accurate.

Sotulan narrowed his eyes and remained silent, seemingly planning the right words in his mind. After a moment, he gently shook his head and said, "This is a very formidable fellow."

The words were simple, but the meaning they contained was anything but. Luo Fei's heart skipped a beat: for Sotulan to utter the word "impressive," he must be no ordinary person. Thinking this, he turned to look at Anmi, only to see that the other's face was ashen. Although extremely angry, he showed no intention of refuting Sotulan's assessment, seemingly acknowledging it.

But then Sotulan continued, "That day when we were drinking, he seemed very generous and easygoing, without the slightest bit of restraint. Perhaps it was because of this that we considered him a good friend. In the eyes of us Hamo people, those who can sit together and drink heartily are unlikely to harbor any malicious intentions."

Luo Fei nodded: "There can only be some truth to that statement... Didn't you ask him why he came here?"

“Of course I asked, and I looked him in the eye when I asked,” Sotulan said seriously. “It’s very easy for a person to lie with their mouth, but it’s very difficult for their eyes to lie. He didn’t avoid my gaze at all, so his answer should not be a lie. He said that he came for the legend of the ‘holy war’ and the secret of the ‘uncanny valley’.”

"Don't you find it strange? Who is he, and why would he be interested in these questions?"

"He said he was an explorer, a man born to seek secrets. As for his name, he simply replied: 'In the Hundred Family Surnames, he is Zhou.'"

Luo Fei, Zhou Liwei, and Yue Dongbei couldn't help but exchange a few glances. They had heard Yue Dongbei mention these eight words before in Longzhou; it seemed this young man always introduced himself this way.

“A person’s name is actually unimportant; what matters is what they have done.” Seeing the surprised expressions on Luo Fei and the other two’s faces, Sotulan said leisurely, “So we didn’t ask any further questions, but simply called him ‘Zhou’ according to our Hamo people’s custom. Later, I told Zhou the story of the Holy War, just as I told you earlier. He seemed very interested, staring at me intently, as if he wasn’t just listening, but also watching something.”

"Looking at what?" Luo Fei frowned and repeated softly.

"Yes, he was looking into my soul! His gaze was incredibly sharp. If I concealed or lied to him while I was telling him something, I would not be able to escape his eyes."

"As a guest, this is rather rude. Don't you find it offensive?"

“No,” Sotulan said frankly. “The Holy War is the most glorious chapter in the history of the Hamo people, and we are very willing to tell others about it, so we will not hide anything. The more attentive and serious the listeners are, the happier the storyteller will be. Now that I think about it, Zhou seems to have taken advantage of this mentality to win our favor from the very beginning.”

Luo Fei shook his head: "This may not necessarily be intentional. Since he came from so far away, he must be extremely interested in these matters. But... is it really just to uncover some secrets, as he says?"

“It’s obvious he’s after the sacred artifact of the Hamo tribe!” Anmi snorted heavily. “Otherwise, he would have left after learning about the events of the Holy War. Why would he have stayed in the village for so long!”

"Really? How long did he stay?"

"It will probably take three or four months."

"That's certainly quite long!" Luo Fei seemed somewhat surprised. "What does he do here?"

Sotulan replied, "He often goes to the 'Valley of Uncanny'. He stays there for a whole day, and we don't know exactly what he does, because he always goes alone."

“I think this is just his disguise. He’s stalling for time and waiting for an opportunity,” Anmi said coldly. “Later on, he had mastered the language of the Hamo people and became good friends with the Shuiyi Di. It’s a pity that we didn’t suspect anything.”

"Shui Yi Die?" This was a newly encountered name, and Luo Fei immediately asked, "Who is he?"

Anmi remained silent, seemingly unwilling to mention the man. Sotulan sighed softly and explained, "He was the saint's guard. He should have been the bravest and most loyal young man in the entire Hamo tribe. Who could have imagined that he would commit such a terrible crime?"

Luo Fei deciphered the subtext in the other person's words, his eyes flashing: "Did he help Zhou steal the blood vial?"

Sotulan closed his eyes and nodded silently. It was clear that he was deeply saddened by Shui Yidi's betrayal.

"Why would he do this?" Luo Fei exclaimed, utterly astonished. Indeed, as a guardian of the Holy Maiden, stealing the blood vial would have been easy for him. But what reason would he have to betray the entire tribe and sell this supreme sacred object to an outsider? Simply because he and "Zhou" had become good friends? That was clearly illogical.

Sotulan shook his head helplessly: "I still don't understand. I've asked Shui Yidi more than a hundred times, but he never answers. At most, he just says that it's all his fault and he's willing to accept any punishment."

"Where is this person now?" Luo Fei keenly sensed something suspicious.

"Locked in a water dungeon."

"I want to see him," Luo Fei said frankly, "the sooner the better."

Sotulan didn't reply, but instead looked at Anmi. Clearly, he couldn't make the decision on this matter yet.

After a moment of silence, Anmi finally spoke: "Whatever the reason, Shui Yidi's actions have insulted the title of 'warrior,' and he is a disgrace to our Hamo tribe. Such a person is not worthy of meeting you all; he should live in darkness forever. However, since we are all here to deal with the demons that have reappeared, let us first go and see those who have already sold their souls to the demons."

After saying this, Anmi got up first and walked towards the courtyard gate.

"Please, everyone!" Sotulan led Luo Fei and the others, closely following behind Anmi. The four attendants waiting outside the door were quite clever; seeing that their leader was about to leave, they immediately took torches and positioned themselves on either side to light the way.

The group walked through the light drizzle, heading north. Soon, they saw shimmering water ahead; they had arrived at the edge of a mountain pond. They then turned west along the pond's edge. Night was falling, and most of the houses along the way were dark; all was quiet.

The further they went, the fewer and fewer houses they saw along the roadside. It seemed they were heading out of the village. As Luo Fei pondered this, he suddenly saw flickering firelight in the distance, illuminating a row of densely packed houses.

There were seven or eight houses in total, all built in the water not far from the shore, with the main structure of the houses suspended above the water by thick black wooden piles. Torches were placed next to each house, and the flickering flames created an eerie and sinister atmosphere.

The group continued walking and arrived in an instant. A man emerged from the firelight, bowed to Anmi and Sotulan, and then spoke in Hamo dialect. Although Luo Fei couldn't understand it, he roughly guessed that it was a greeting or something similar.

The man appeared to be in his thirties, tall and muscular, with a face full of menacing features. As he bowed and greeted them, he secretly glanced at Luo Fei and the others, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes, which he quickly concealed.

Anmi mumbled something incoherently, presumably introducing everyone's identities and purpose. His voice, though not loud, broke the silence. Something in the darkness seemed startled, suddenly letting out a piercing cry.

The cry carried a chilling intent that pierced everyone's hearts. Luo Fei was suddenly startled, his thoughts drifting back to Kunming a few weeks earlier, back to that dark corridor of the mental hospital.

The sound was so similar to the young man's cry back then! It was equally filled with despair and fear! But here and now, the situation seemed even more bizarre and complicated.

Before the sound subsided, another cry rang out, followed by a chorus of screams, with three or four people simultaneously letting out piercing cries. The once tranquil mountain pond suddenly seemed to have fallen into a living hell.

Luo Fei and the others all changed their expressions, but then they heard An Mi say coldly, "These are people who have been driven mad by demons, and they are locked in these houses."

Luo Fei and Zhou Liwei exchanged a glance, realizing the truth: this was the "phobia" that had appeared in Longzhou! It turned out that it had also broken out among the Hamo tribe, so it seemed that the source of this illness was near the "Valley of Terror," which was beyond doubt.

"When did these people go crazy from fright?" Luo Fei then turned his head and asked An Mi.

“It was in the days following the theft of the blood vials that the demonic power began to resurface in the Valley of Terror,” Anmi replied gravely. “They all entered the Valley of Terror while hunting and had their souls stolen by the demons.”

Luo Fei nodded secretly. It seemed that these Hamo people and the young man in the Kunming mental hospital were the same group of victims. He pondered for a moment and then asked, "Just those few days after the blood vials were stolen? Nothing happened for more than half a year afterward?"

“After that, no one dared to go to the Valley of Terror. And our tribe has many warriors like Dilga guarding the village, so the demons dare not easily invade our land.” As Anmi said this, her gaze swept over the tall man in front of her, full of praise and commendation. The man also proudly puffed out his chest; it seemed that he was the “warrior” Dilga who had been mentioned.

"Is that Shuiyidi also imprisoned here?" Luo Fei guessed.

Anmi nodded and said something to Dirga. Dirga responded and then led the group toward the row of wooden houses. After crossing a suspended bridge, they arrived at the walkway in front of the houses.

“This is the Hamo tribe’s water dungeon, used to imprison captured enemies during wartime. Built on the water, it prevented enemy rescues or prisoner escapes. Now, the cells are filled with our own tribesmen.” Sotulan spoke with emotion and sadness as he said the last sentence.

The wooden houses were connected one after another, without windows, but the front doors were all slatted, so the houses wouldn't feel too stuffy, and the guards could keep an eye on what was happening inside. Luo Fei and the others followed Dierga deeper into the row of houses, glancing at the houses they passed along the way. In the dim, flickering firelight, they saw faces contorted with fear, and chilling screams continued to emanate from them.

Luo Fei frowned. The terrifying experience he had at noon still lingered in his mind, and recalling it still gave him a suffocating feeling.

Soon, the group reached the end of the corridor. The last house here stood apart from the rest of the group, unconnected to the neighboring wooden huts, and its structure was unlike any of the others. It had no walls, only a fence made of thick wooden posts nailed together. Even the roof was replaced by the fence. It was more accurate to call it a "cage" than a house.

Everyone stopped in their tracks. Yue Dongbei rubbed his bald head and chuckled dryly, trying to make conversation. "This cell is rather unusual," he said.

"This is specifically for imprisoning those who have committed heinous crimes. They are subjected to the scorching sun, the torrential rain, and the bites of mosquitoes and venomous snakes all day long. Although they live, they suffer pain far worse than death," Anmi said through gritted teeth. His eyes were wide open, staring intently at a person in the "cage," his gaze seemingly spitting fire, revealing the hatred he felt for that person.

Luo Fei and the others followed An Mi's gaze and saw the person in the "cage" curled up in the corner, head pressed against the floor, motionless, like a dead person. Because of the dim light and distance, they could not see his figure or appearance clearly.

Dilga shouted twice. Although he spoke in Hamo language, Luo Fei clearly recognized that the pronunciation sounded similar to the Chinese word "Shui Yi Die". He was probably calling the name of the "man in the cage", but the man did not respond.

Dilga began cursing in Hamo, his expression ferocious and his tone menacing. Sotulan suddenly glared at him, a hint of reproach in his eyes. Dilga quickly stopped, looking embarrassed. Sotulan turned to look at the Shuiyi lying in the cage, sighed, and then spoke a few words in Hamo, his tone much gentler.

This time, Shui Yidi reacted. He looked up at the outside of the cage a few times, then began to twist his body, as if trying to remember. However, his movements were slow and strange. After struggling for a long time, he finally straightened his upper body and knelt on the ground. Then, swaying and almost exhausting all his strength, he finally stood up completely and staggered toward the door of the cell where everyone was.

As he approached, Luo Fei narrowed his eyes, carefully scrutinizing the holy maiden guard who had betrayed the entire "tribe." His clothes were tattered, his body filthy and muddy, and his beard and hair had grown so long that it was difficult to discern his original face and actual age. Due to prolonged suffering, he was extremely thin, and his face was haggard.

He laboriously and slowly made his way to the door, where he was now separated from the others only by a wooden fence. His movements were sluggish and clumsy, not only because he was extremely weak, but more importantly because his hands were tightly bound behind his back and his feet were tied with ropes, leaving only a gap for him to take a half-step.

Being imprisoned in a water dungeon and bound like this, he had absolutely no freedom. Luo Fei couldn't help but shake his head silently. Sotulan seemed to see what he was thinking and said softly, "To deal with a tiger, you must use the strongest shackles."

As Sotulan spoke, Shui Yidi slowly raised his head, looking at the others through the door. In the instant their eyes met, Luo Fei fully understood the meaning of Sotulan's words: this was an extremely formidable figure.

Despite the immense suffering and near-collapse of his body, and despite being tightly bound, the man's eyes remained sharp and piercing. He recognized Bai Jian'e, but Luo Fei and his two companions were complete strangers. His gaze lingered on them, filled with wariness and scrutiny.

“These are Han warriors from afar, friends of the Hamo people. Demons have ravaged their land, and the three followers of Chief Bai have been killed by demons. Do you still not repent for the crimes you have committed?” Sotulan spoke to Shui Yidi in the Hamo language. His tone was low but not stern, and it seemed to contain more of a persuasive and guiding element.

Shui Yiyi's eyes narrowed, a slight look of surprise appearing on her face. She muttered to herself, "A demon? The demon has really appeared?"

Sotulan pointed to the guests standing beside him, his expression turning solemn: "Luo and Zhou come from the distant Dragon Continent. The sacred object was broken there! Many people, like the victims in our tribe, have been driven mad by the demon, or even died of fright! And the demon has followed them all the way, and may soon reappear in the villages."

"Zhou?" This familiar name seemed to stir up a memory in Shui Yiyi's mind. His eyes lit up, and his gaze immediately followed Sotulan's pointing finger to Zhou Liwei. However, he quickly shook his head in disappointment; clearly, the other person was not the one he wanted to see. Then he turned his head slightly to look at Luo Fei's face. This person was still so unfamiliar to Shui Yiyi, yet he possessed a mysterious aura that instantly touched his heart.

It's an indescribable aura; you can't even pinpoint its source. Is it from those bright eyes? From the faint, honest smile at the corners of his mouth? Or from the calm, confident expression on his face? In short, though he didn't speak, he clearly conveyed the message: Come, tell me your secrets; only I can unravel all your confusion.

Shui Yi Di became interested in this young man from another race. He licked his lips and asked in a hoarse voice, "Luo? What brings you here?"

Sotulan immediately relayed his words to Luo Fei.

"Can he understand Chinese?" Luo Fei was delighted to see that the other party was willing to communicate with him. Of course, he hoped that the two sides could have a direct conversation.

Kosoturan's answer was to his dismay: "No, it is a rule passed down through generations of the Hamo people that all the Holy Maidens are strictly forbidden from learning Chinese."

Luo Fei pursed his lips helplessly; this rule was indeed rather strange. Since that was the case, he had no choice but to turn to Sotulan for help again: "Please ask him for me why that 'Zhou' stole the blood vial, and why he helped this person?"

Sotulan translated the sentence into Hamo, but judging from his expression, he didn't have much hope for the inquiry.

Shui Yidi quickly gave his answer.

"What did he say?" Luo Fei asked impatiently.

"He admitted that he stole the sacred object from the saint and gave it to the young man. But he would only tell the reason to the saint after he met her."

Anmi, who had been standing to the side with a livid face, roared furiously before Sotulan could finish speaking, "You have committed an unforgivable crime. If you do not repent, you will be punished with the most severe punishment of our tribe!"

Shui Yiyi bowed slightly to Anmi, then calmly replied, "Your Excellency Anmi, I am willing to accept any punishment, but according to the clan rules passed down by the hero Aliya and the great Helai, the Holy Maiden's Guards only obey the Holy Maiden's orders, and only the Holy Maiden can punish him accordingly."

Anmi narrowed his eyes, clenching his teeth, clearly enraged. After a moment, he let out a sinister laugh: "You dare to act so recklessly, relying on the protection of the tribe's rules. Fine! Fine! Haven't you always wanted to see the Holy Maiden? Tomorrow I will grant your wish. I want to see how she will treat you, the traitor who betrayed the tribe!"

Shui Yidi's brow twitched, and a look of joy appeared on her face. At the same time, she exclaimed in surprise, "Holy Maiden? Has she recovered?"

Anmi snorted and said through gritted teeth, "Give up, the Holy Maiden will not forgive you!"