Uncanny Valley

Chapter 30

Dilga took the opportunity to back away, but in his panic, he accidentally stepped on the injured follower, and the two of them fell into a heap, looking utterly disheveled. Dilga looked at Anmi with a face full of shame and said, "Thank you, my lord, for saving my life."

Anmi snorted, stepped down from the altar, and glanced at his followers: "You may all leave."

The attendants bowed and left, leaving only Anmi and Shuiyi in the circle.

Shui Yi bowed respectfully, saying, "Respected Chief Anmi."

Anmi glared at the other party: "If you still consider me the leader of the tribe, then put down your weapon!"

Shui Yiyi gritted her teeth: "Forgive me... I cannot obey."

Anmi, enraged, laughed coldly: "Fine, fine..." Before the second "fine" was finished, he had already lunged forward and launched an extremely fierce attack. Figures moved about below the altar, and the sound of clashing weapons rang out continuously as two of the Hamo tribe's most renowned and valiant warriors clashed.

However, this was not a fair fight. Shuiyi Di seemed to be constrained by their social status, and only defended, never counterattacking. As a result, Anmi's attacks became increasingly unrestrained, leaving the opponent struggling to cope and gradually losing ground.

Luo Fei, who was watching the battle from a short distance away, secretly shook his head. Everyone could see that if things continued like this, Shui Yidi would inevitably meet a bloody end.

Shui Yidi clearly understood the situation. A glint of light flashed in his eyes, and taking advantage of Anmi's lack of defense, he suddenly attacked with his sword. Anmi was completely unprepared and hurriedly took a step back, breaking out in a cold sweat.

Shui Yidi did not pursue. Instead, he leaped onto the altar. At this moment, only Yakuma was on the altar. Shui Yidi rushed in front of her and pressed his scimitar against the saintess's neck.

Not long ago, Shui Yiyi had been weeping and prostrating herself on the ground, willing to die for the Holy Maiden. This sudden turn of events caught everyone off guard. Everyone stood frozen in place, the scene utterly silent.

Luo Fei was also startled and instinctively reached for his pistol at his waist. Bai Jian'e quickly pressed down on his wrist: "Be careful! You absolutely cannot hurt the Holy Maiden!"

Luo Fei gripped the gun handle tightly, his eyes filled with anxiety.

After a moment of silence, Sotulan's aged voice rang out: "Shui Yidi, what are you doing? Have you gone mad?"

“I won’t harm the Holy Maiden; I just want her to escort me away from here,” Shui Yidi said, leading Yakuma toward the altar. Yakuma was pale; no matter how revered she had once been, she was now just a weak woman with no strength to even kill a chicken.

Anmi gripped the hilt of his knife tightly, his eyes practically spitting fire, but under such circumstances, he could only watch helplessly as the two of them walked step by step to the edge of the crowd in the south.

"Get out of the way." Shui Yidi's voice wasn't loud, but it carried an irresistible force of authority.

Anmi closed his eyes, waved his hand helplessly, and his tribesmen made way for him. Shuiyi Die escorted Yakuma out of the encirclement, and walked more than twenty meters towards the mountains before sheathing his scimitar: "Go back now."

Yakuma composed himself, looked the other person in the eye, and said, "Shuiyi Die, what you have done today has completely betrayed your race, and you will never be forgiven."

Shui Yiyi gave a bitter smile, then suddenly raised his knife and cut off his left index finger cleanly, causing blood to splatter everywhere.

Yakuma exclaimed in surprise, "What...what are you doing?"

Despite the excruciating pain, Shui Yidi looked at his people and said loudly, "Shui Yidi has committed insubordination, a grave crime deserving of ten thousand deaths. But I cannot die today. After I have accomplished my great task, I will surely return to atone for my sins. I will leave one finger here for now. If I break my promise, please, High Priest, cast the blood curse upon me!"

After saying this, he strode towards the mountains to the south, and soon disappeared into the dark jungle.

Chapter Twenty-Eight: Past Events and Friends

The Holy Maiden, who had been absent for six months due to illness, finally reappeared before her people on this night. This should have been an exhilarating event, but the situation took an unexpected turn. Shui Yi Di, the Holy Maiden's supposedly most loyal and valiant guard, turned against Anmi and Yakuma, successfully escaping into the mountains. This not only severely challenged the authority of the leader and the Holy Maiden but also cast a shadow of fear and unease over every member of the tribe. The night wind grew stronger, and several torches, whether running out of fuel or succumbing to the wind, gradually lost their flames, struggling and flickering before finally being extinguished in the cold night.

"Lord Anmi, should we give chase?" a follower asked, looking in the direction where Shui Yidi had disappeared.

Anmi's face turned ashen: "We can't catch up... Besides, what's the point of catching up with just a few of you?"

The attendants lowered their heads in shame. By this time, Yakuma, supported by Dirga, had returned to the altar. Anmi stepped forward and asked with concern, "Holy Maiden, are you unharmed?"

Yakuma shook her head gently: "I'm fine." Although she tried her best to appear nonchalant, Luo Fei, who was not far away, still keenly caught a trace of fear in her eyes.

Anmi's expression softened slightly, and she said to Dirga, "You should protect the saintess and help her get back to rest."

Dilga received the order and was about to leave with Yakuma when they suddenly heard Luo Fei's voice: "Please wait a moment!"

Yakuma stopped in his tracks and turned to look at Luo Fei indifferently. Anmize, standing nearby, frowned and asked in surprise, "Luo? What's wrong?"

“I have a few words to say to the Holy Maiden. Or rather, I have some questions to ask.” Luo Fei said as he stepped forward, staring intently into Yakuma’s eyes, as if trying to discern more information.

“I’m sorry, I’m very tired—I have to go back.” Yakuma replied in fluent Chinese, without avoiding Luo Fei’s gaze.

"Luo, your behavior is extremely rude in this situation!" Anmi stepped in front of Luo Fei and said sternly, "Please step back!"

Luo Fei gave an apologetic look and didn't continue forward. He watched Yakuma walk into the village, already having a pretty good idea of what was going on.

“That’s all for today, everyone go back. The Holy Maiden is with us, the gods are with us!” After saying this to her people, Anmi looked at Sotulan and said, “High Priest, please come to my room. I have something to discuss with you.”

Sotulan bowed and followed Anmi and his entourage. The other tribesmen dispersed only after their leader had gone some distance. Inevitably, they gathered in small groups, whispering amongst themselves.

"Teacher Zhou, do you still remember Xu Xiaowen?" Luo Fei asked Zhou Liwei.

“I remember.” Zhou Liwei pondered for a moment. “There seems to be some elusive mystery here…”

"Xu Xiaowen? What are you talking about?" Yue Dongbei scratched his bald head and asked anxiously, "Tell me quickly, tell me everything, just like I do, don't hide anything!"

Luo Fei waved to Zhou Liwei: "You explain it to him." Then he plunged into the dispersing crowd of Hamo people, and after a few quick steps, he caught up with a middle-aged man.

The man was Meng Sha, who had been to Mengla County before. When he saw Luo Fei coming, he stopped and greeted him politely: "Luo, hello!"

Luo Fei skipped the pleasantries and went straight to the point: "Just now, when the Holy Maiden removed her veil, did you see it clearly?"

“Yes,” Monsa said devoutly. “The great saint, it was she who saved me from the brink of death!”

"Are you sure she's your saintess? You must have seen her before, right?"

“Of course!” Monsa answered without hesitation. “All of our people have seen her. From the day she became a saint, her noble appearance has been forever etched in our minds.”

"Is it possible that the Holy Maiden left Hamo Village?" Luo Fei continued without pausing, "and that it was a long-term departure?"

“How is that possible?” Meng Sha glared at Luo Fei, seemingly displeased. “The Holy Maiden is always with her people. When she is not ill, she often appears in the village to share the joys and sorrows of her people.”

"Really? Okay...okay..." Luo Fei pondered for a moment, then thought of something else, "There's a cave over in the Valley of Terror where Li Dingguo's remains are buried. How many people know about this?"

“Everyone knows.” When Monsa mentioned this, a strange look suddenly appeared on his face. He pulled Luo Fei aside and added in a low voice, “Moreover, the grave was already empty six months ago.”

"Six months ago?" Luo Fei looked at the other person in surprise. He had just been to that cave that morning. The pit left at the scene with the outline of a human figure was obviously just dug, so it couldn't have been six months ago.

But Mengsha's words and actions didn't seem like he was lying. Seeing that Luo Fei didn't believe him, he solemnly continued, "Some people went hunting in 'Terror Valley.' When it started raining, they took shelter in a cave and discovered something strange: the soil of the graves was turned upside down, and the bones inside were gone. When Lord Anmi found out, he forbade the tribesmen from going to that cave again. A few days later, several tribesmen were driven mad by demons, the Holy Maiden fell ill, and rumors about the loss of the sacred objects gradually spread. It was because of these things that I and some other tribesmen left the village and fled outside the mountains."

That's strange! Luo Fei frowned, pondering. Could it be that the grave had been dug up more than once? But why would that be?

After a moment, Luo Fei still hadn't found a clue, so he could only put the problem aside for the time being and turn his attention back to the more important goal.

“I want to go and pay my respects to the great saint, but I don’t know where she is now?” he said, looking at Monsa.

Monsa laughed heartily: "Then come with me. I'll take care of getting you to the Saintess's residence."

After following Meng Sha through the village for a while, Luo Fei arrived at the edge of the mountain pond. This was the edge of the village, where a steep mountain wall rose abruptly from the ground, adjacent to the pond, forming a passage. The small wooden house where the Holy Maiden lived was at the end of this passage, where there was still light, indicating that the Holy Maiden had not yet rested.

“Luo, you should go there yourself. It’s so late now, I don’t know if the Holy Maiden will still see you,” Monsa said, pointing to the wooden house.

"Located in the mountains, yet enjoying tranquility all to yourself, this is truly a wonderful place," Luo Fei exclaimed.

"With mountains on one side and water on the other, and the Holy Maiden Guards stationed in the side rooms in front of the wooden houses, this is the safest place in the entire village," Monsa added.

Luo Fei thought of a question: "During the six months that the Holy Maiden was ill, did no one ever come to visit her?"

Monsa shook his head: "Ordinary tribesmen are not allowed. In order for the Holy Maiden to recuperate in peace, only Lord Anmi and High Priest Sotulan have been allowed to go into the wooden house to take care of the Holy Maiden's condition."

"Okay, I understand." Luo Fei didn't say anything more. He said goodbye to Meng Sha and walked alone along the path through the mountains and rivers towards the cabin.

Dirga, torch in hand, stood guard at the door of the wooden hut. This was his first day as a Saintess's Guardian. He had longed for this day for far too long, and now, he could finally realize his dream.

Dirga's performance on the first day was clearly unsuccessful; his scimitar was taken from him by a person whose hands and feet were bound, and the scimitar was then held to the saint's neck! This was undoubtedly an intolerable humiliation for the saint's guards.

Shuiyi Die, it's Shuiyi Die again! Dierga cursed bitterly in his heart, "I will settle all those old and new scores with you one day!"

Undeniably, Shui Yidi was a formidable opponent. A year ago, when all the Hamo warriors were vying for the Holy Maiden's Guard, Dilga had already experienced his prowess firsthand. That contest had left him disheartened, and he almost left the land that held his dreams.

In fact, he had already packed his bags and arrived at Ni Hong Village. But what happened later changed his fate and finally enabled him to stand in his current position.

He will never forget those words.

"Dilga, you are a warrior, and a warrior should never bow down to defeat!"

The person who said these words was Bai Jian'e, the chieftain of Ni Hong Village.

He also remembered how dejected he looked at the time: "No, I think I will never have another chance. Shui Yi Die is a warrior that the Hamo tribe has only seen once in a hundred years. I can't defeat him, and besides, the Holy Maiden likes him very much."

"Do we have to defeat him with force? More often than not, we need strategy. Heaven will favor those who persevere and bring them unexpected good fortune." Bai Jian'e's eyes gleamed with a seductive light. "Now, your good fortune has begun, because we will all become your friends who support you."

Behind Bai Jian'e stood Xue Mingfei, Wu Qun, and Zhao Liwen, all of whom were prominent figures in Mi Hong Village.

Dilga was moved, and from that day on, he embarked on another path toward his dream.

...

A soft footstep interrupted Dirga's reverie. He widened his eyes alertly and saw Luo Fei walking towards them.

Who exactly is this person? His gaze is always so sharp, as if he can see through all the hidden secrets in your heart. Is he an enemy? But he arrived with Chief Bai, didn't he? Could something have gone wrong with that matter?

Lost in his own thoughts, Dilga found Luo Fei standing before him. Though reluctant to confront him, Dilga forced himself to stand tall and demanded, "Halt! What are you doing here?"

Luo Fei frowned, realizing that this Holy Maiden Guardian definitely didn't understand Chinese. How could he communicate with her? Just as he hesitated, he heard a soft creak, and the wooden door of the small hut opened from the inside. Yakuma gracefully walked to the door and said something to Dirga. Dirga immediately and respectfully stepped aside.

“Officer Luo, please come in and talk.” Yakuma looked at Luo Fei, her eyes sparkling, and said in fluent Mandarin, “I knew you would come, so I’ve been waiting for you.”

The voice was so familiar. Luo Fei's heart was filled with turmoil, but his face remained expressionless. He followed Yakuma into the wooden house.

The cabin wasn't large, and the furnishings inside were simple. Besides the essential bed, table, chairs, and cabinets, there was nothing else. On the side facing the lake, there was a window, and a string of pure white flowers hung from the windowsill. Luo Fei didn't know the name of the flowers, but he could feel a refreshing fragrance wafting into the cabin on the night breeze, bringing a touch of gentleness to this lonely and secluded valley.

An oil lamp sat on the square table by the window. The saintess stepped forward, turned the light to its brightest setting, and then pointed to the wooden chair beside the table: "Officer Luo, please sit down."

Luo Fei looked around in the dim light. He noticed a small bed not far away, with some powder sprinkled around its four wooden legs.

“It seems you haven’t settled into life here yet,” he said as he sat down.

"Is that so?" The saintess raised an eyebrow and sat down opposite Luo Fei.

Luo Fei pointed to the powder at the foot of the bed: "Is it sulfur? The Hamo people who live in the mountains don't use these things. In fact, those little bugs that occasionally crawl onto the bed won't cause any harm to people."

“You’re right. But for me, it’s still a bit psychologically awkward. It’s certainly not a pleasant feeling to have six little creatures crawling across your face while you’re sleeping.”

Luo Fei turned his gaze to the woman not far away. After a brief silence, he spoke, "How should I address you? Xu Xiaowen, Yakuma, or the esteemed Holy Maiden?"

“I am Xu Xiaowen,” the saintess replied. “We met in Kunming. As for Yakuma, she is my twin sister.”

"Twin sisters?" This answer cleared up many of Luo Fei's confusion. He lowered his head, took some time to sort out his thoughts, and then asked, "So you're here to impersonate her? What happened to your sister...?"

A hint of sadness flashed in Xu Xiaowen's eyes: "She passed away half a year ago."

This matched Luo Fei's guess. In fact, he was more concerned about the next question that followed: "How did she die?"

“I don’t know the specifics either.” Xu Xiaowen looked at Luo Fei and smiled bitterly. “You probably think I know a lot of secrets, but in reality, I probably know less than you do. I invited you into the house hoping you could answer some of my questions. I didn’t expect you to come to this valley. Thank goodness, finally someone can help me.”

Luo Fei was confused by Xu Xiaowen's words. He looked intently into her eyes and asked, "What exactly happened here? I need you to tell me everything you know, please?"

“Just now at the sacrificial site, I pretended not to know you because I didn’t want the tribespeople to notice anything amiss. Now that it’s just the two of us here, I won’t hide anything from you.” Xu Xiaowen met Luo Fei’s gaze frankly. “However, I really don’t have much to tell you. I’ve only been in this valley for less than a week, and before that, I hadn’t set foot in this village for more than ten years.”

"What?" He hadn't been back for over ten years, practically a stranger to the area. This was quite unexpected for Luo Fei, who looked surprised. "In all this time, have you lost contact with the Hamo tribe?"