Uncanny Valley - Chapter 37
Finally, she made up her mind. After giving Luo Fei a faint smile, she opened the letter and began to read its contents.
She gazed at the letter silently, the delicate handwriting transporting her back to the events of over three hundred years ago. She felt the grievances, the nobility and the ugliness within, her heart trembling time and again. A moment later, two clear tears welled in her eyes and slid down her cheeks.
After reading the letter, Xu Xiaowen stood up. A mountain breeze swept by, ruffling her long hair. Once the tears in her eyes had dried, her posture straightened, and her expression became much more resolute.
Luo Fei, who was not far away, was astonished by her transformation in such a short time. She had transformed from a vibrant young student into a true saint, a great saint who bore responsibility, suffering, and the fate of the tribe.
Luo Fei's lips tasted slightly bitter.
The saintess surveyed her people with a firm yet loving gaze. When their eyes met hers, each person felt a warm power, and their glory and courage gradually gathered around this power once again.
“Let’s go. Let’s settle things with the ‘demon’ in that valley.” She said solemnly, looking at Shui Yidi beside her.
Chapter Thirty-Three: Reincarnation
Two days later. After days of rain, the weather finally began to improve. On this morning, the long-awaited sunlight struggled to pierce through the clouds and shone down on the vast valleys. The lush trees still clung to the wet trees, shimmering and swaying with the light, creating a vibrant and lively scene.
The Hamo people's mood was like the weather; the anxiety and fear that had weighed on their hearts for more than half a year had vanished. All the people were gathered at the sacrificial site, their eyes fixed intently on the two figures on the altar.
The elderly man standing on the left was thin and had a slender face; he was none other than High Priest Sotulan. He clasped his right hand to his chest, looked up at the clear sky, and proclaimed loudly, “The gods forever protect the brave and kind Hamo people. We live on this land in peace and contentment, free from worldly strife, but we fear no evil. The glory of the holy war is passed down through generations. The spirits of the great Aliya and Helai are with us; the spirit and courage of the Hamo people will never perish!”
These inspiring words fully ignited the national pride of the Hamo people. They held their heads high, their faces filled with pride and confidence, and some men even waved their arms and burst into cheers.
Sotulan spread his arms and pressed his palms down, and the sacrificial site quickly fell silent again. Sotulan's expression was now grave, and when he spoke again, his voice carried a deeper sorrow: "The demon killed our Hamo tribe's bravest warrior, a descendant of Aliya, the great Anmi chieftain. He died for the tribe, and he will forever be a hero of the Hamo tribe."
Although both were victims, Sotulan did not mention Dirga's name. In his heart, Yakuma and Shuiyidi were far more important than Dirga. Dirga's betrayal directly led to Yakuma's death, so even though Dirga later gained Anmi's favor, Sotulan always treated him coldly.
Of course, there are many things he doesn't know about Dilga.
Anmi's death was undoubtedly the most devastating blow to the Hamo people from this upheaval. Although the leader's behavior before his death and his subsequent suicide were surprising and perplexing, his strong and strict rule in the villages over the past decade had deeply resonated with the people. Moreover, for over three hundred years, influenced by the legends of the holy war, the people had become accustomed to worshipping under the glorious aura of the Aliya family. Now that Anmi was dead, and without an heir, it meant the lineage of the hero Aliya had ended. What would become of the Hamo people from this point on?
Thinking about these problems, a sense of bewilderment and helplessness appeared on the faces of the tribespeople, and the joy brought by victory was overshadowed. Many of the gentle women were already weeping softly.
Sotulan bowed deeply as a sign of mourning for the deceased. Then he straightened up, and the expression between his brows gradually changed from grief to anger.
“The demon must be punished for his crimes. His evil soul will be cursed with the harshest curse, forever wandering the edge of hell, never to find peace.” As he spoke, Sotulan pulled something from his robes and held it high in his hand. “The sacred object has been reforged! Sealed within it is the blood of the demon, a descendant of Li Dingguo, the murderer who slaughtered my people and killed the Anmi chieftain!”
The dark object was spindle-shaped with a smooth, rounded surface, exactly the same as the blood vial that the Hamo tribe had lost half a year ago and was later accidentally broken by Luo Fei. This new blood vial was made by Sotulan in a day and a night using a secret technique passed down through generations of priests.
With the reappearance of the sacred object, in a sense, the people of Hamo are experiencing another victory in a holy war. The tribesmen bow their heads with chests folded and solemn expressions.
"People of Hamo, no longer suppress your anger and resentment, curse that evil soul with the most vicious words. The opposition between light and darkness is irreconcilable, and you represent the power of justice. Today's ceremony will have special significance because of the victory of justice; we are punishing evil under the watchful eyes of the gods!" After saying these words, Sotulan solemnly turned around and looked at Xu Xiaowen standing to his right.
Xu Xiaowen, dressed in flowing white robes, had a radiant, holy glow on her face as sunlight shone upon her. She received the recast relic from Sotulan and pressed the small bottle tightly against her chest.
"Saint Yakuma will use her pure and immaculate body to test our justice. Gods, you have witnessed everything, please deliver a just judgment! Let the power of the Hamo people pass through the Saint's breast and strike those dark forces, so that they may never appear in the sunlight again!"
As Soturan murmured his religious sermons, Xu Xiaowen slowly turned around, her back to the crowded sacrificial site. Inevitably, the records Helai had left in his letters of suffering brought her back to the "holy war" of more than three hundred years ago.
The following is from Helai's own account from back then:
...
It was already very late, but my people had not rested yet. For several days in a row, they gathered at the sacrificial site, holding torches, singing and dancing to celebrate the great victory they had just achieved.
Aliya and I became heroes in the hearts of our people. Aliya was lifted high by the warriors, enjoying unparalleled glory. In the almost boiling atmosphere, no one noticed that I quietly left.
Everyone thinks we wiped out the ferocious "demon" and saved the tribe from the brink of extinction, but I know that's not the case.
I cannot tell anyone about this, not even the brave and loyal Aliya, nor the wise High Priest. At this moment, perhaps only my father's spirit can understand my anguish.
Undeniably, with Bai Wenxuan's help, our plan proceeded very smoothly. Ironically, this was destined to be the beginning of a tragedy.
Li Dingguo had no doubt about our motives. He sent a trusted aide to take me to see my father, which, according to Bai Wenxuan, meant he was about to make his move. But he had no idea that Aliya and our warriors were hiding in those boxes, waiting for their chance to deliver a fatal blow.
The attendant led me to a military tent on the west side and told me that my father was inside. Taking advantage of the opportunity to bow to him, I suddenly drew a dagger hidden in my bosom and stabbed him in the heart. Caught completely off guard, he collapsed to the ground dead before he could even utter a groan.
I didn't have time to deal with his body; I rushed into the military tent. They hadn't lied to me; my father was lying half-reclined on a bed in the corner of the tent, his chest wrapped in thick bandages, clearly indicating he was seriously injured.
When my father saw me suddenly appear, he was both surprised and delighted: "My daughter, you've finally come."
I rushed to my father's side with a pained expression: "Father, what happened to you? Are you badly hurt?"
"It's alright," the father waved his hand cheerfully. "When I was young, I was the strongest warrior in the tribe."
"Then let's get out of here quickly," I said anxiously. "Aliya and the others may have already made their move!"
The father looked surprised: "What are you doing?"
"Li Dingguo is using you as bait to take my daughter. He has also planted explosives on Xuanhu Lake, attempting to flood our village. We have joined forces with the Qing army, and Aliya and his men have infiltrated Li Dingguo's camp. With our combined efforts, we will surely be able to eliminate this devil!"
"What?" Upon hearing this, the father, disregarding his physical pain, sat up abruptly in bed. "Who told you all this?"
"It was General Bai Wenxuan who had a change of heart and revealed Li Dingguo's conspiracy to us."
The father clenched his fist and slammed it heavily on the edge of the bed: "Nonsense! General Li is going to flood the Qing army camp. This is something we agreed upon beforehand, there's no mistake. I called you here to discuss how to deal with the Qing army together."
"Deal with the Qing army?" I was stunned. "Weren't you captured by Li Dingguo?"
"My foolish daughter!" The father looked at me with a mixture of anger and pity. "It was General Li who saved my life! The day before yesterday, I was ambushed by Qing soldiers. The two warriors I brought with me fought valiantly to their deaths, and I was also seriously wounded. General Li happened to be out inspecting the enemy situation. He single-handedly killed eight Qing soldiers and rescued me here. Later, we jointly devised a plan to flood the Qing army camp. How could you so easily believe the lies of a villain and make such a rash decision!"
"Hurry up and stop Aliya!" Seeing me standing there in a daze, my father shouted. His wound was aggravated, and he coughed violently.
As if waking from a dream, I rose and was about to rush out of the tent when a cacophony of shouts and battle cries erupted all around. I knew that the Qing army and tribal warriors were launching an attack on Terror Valley, and my anxiety intensified. At that moment, the tent flap was suddenly flung open, and a man covered in blood rushed in.
That was Li Dingguo's subordinate. His eyes were red, he held a sharp sword, and his face was filled with resentment. Perhaps he had just fought a bloody battle with Aliya and the others; he was covered in wounds and staggered.
"You ungrateful Hamo thieves!" he cursed through gritted teeth as he swung his sword at me. The raging fury in his eyes robbed me of the courage to resist; I stood there, numb, as the cold blade drew near my body.
Just then, my father struggled out of bed, shoved me aside, and fell to the ground. The soldier swung his sword back and plunged it into his chest!
For a moment, I felt dizzy and tears welled up in my eyes: "Father!"
The soldier drew his blood-stained sword and walked toward me with a ferocious expression. My father, who was on the verge of death, used his last strength to roll over and hug his legs.
"Don't worry about me..." the father said in a hoarse voice, "Quickly...go, you must stop this...war..."
Regret and sorrow utterly shattered my heart. I knew the mistake was too great, and now the only chance to salvage the situation was to stop Aliya before he killed Li Dingguo. But what about my father? How could I abandon him?
My father noticed my hesitation and roared at the top of his lungs, "Aren't you leaving! You...you want me to die...with my eyes wide open in disbelief?"
Unable to break free from my father's grasp, the soldier stabbed him in the heart again. The blow felt as if it had pierced my own chest, causing a sharp pain. My father could no longer speak; he could only stare at me with his eyes fixed on me.
I understood my father's meaning. Filled with immense grief, I turned and ran like a madman toward Li Dingguo's military tent.
However, it was all too late. When I arrived, Li Dingguo was already dead. His eyes were wide open, glaring at the sky, as if he were still questioning the injustice done to him by heaven.
I stood there dejectedly, my mind blank. In a daze, I saw Aliya cut off Li Dingguo's head and run towards the battlefield where the sounds of battle were deafening.
The area outside the military tent was deathly still, with only Bai Wenxuan and I remaining to guard Li Dingguo's body. Bai Wenxuan was also pale, as if he had just experienced a nightmare.
Suddenly, it dawned on me that the person before me was the one who had started this massacre. Anger roused me, and I took two steps forward, shouting, "You despicable liar! Why, why did you do this?"
"You know the truth?" Bai Wenxuan turned to look at me. "Yes, I lied to you. I had already surrendered to the Qing army."
"You are the real demon!" I said through gritted teeth, and at the same time, I stabbed him with the dagger in my hand.
Bai Wenxuan dodged to the side, then grabbed my wrist and snatched the dagger away. I struggled desperately to break free, but to no avail. He looked at me blankly, muttering as if to himself, "I am a demon? Yes, I betrayed the Ming Dynasty... But what's the point of continuing this war? Even if we defeat the Qing army at Yamaguchi, what then? The fate of the world is sealed; clinging on won't change anything! How many times have I advised him, 'Better to die in the wilderness than surrender,' that's his answer... I don't want to die in the wilderness. Given time, Bai Wenxuan can still accomplish great things!"
He became more and more agitated as he spoke, his eyes shining as if he were possessed. I shook my head in bewilderment, a look of horror on my face.
"Are you scared?" Bai Wenxuan suddenly released my hand. "I won't kill you... It's pointless. The mission is accomplished. You can tell your people the truth, but that will only bring annihilation to your tribe!"
The other party's last words pierced my heart like a knife: Yes, Li Dingguo has died at Aliya's hands, and the Qing army will win this war. The clansmen who learn the truth will feel an indelible shame, anger, and regret. They will do anything to avenge their father and Li Dingguo, but in the face of the powerful Qing army, such an act is tantamount to suicide.
“I’m leaving. I’m not a coward, and I won’t live under someone else’s roof forever. I will accomplish something earth-shattering, as long as… as long as I can find that demonic power.” Bai Wenxuan looked at me, seemingly trying to make me understand something, but all he got in return was my hateful gaze.
He gave up, turned and knelt down, kowtowing three times to Li Dingguo's corpse. Then he turned and walked down the mountain. Although his plot had succeeded, his back view was so lonely and desolate.
If he obtains "demonic power," it must be a terrible thing. I hope he never finds it, and that power will perish along with the flames of war.
Caught between Qing troops and Hamo warriors, Li Dingguo's remaining forces were either killed or surrendered. The war was over, but the tragedy was far from over.
Li Dingguo died with his eyes wide open, his anger and resentment lingering, causing considerable panic among his clansmen. Everyone believed that Li Dingguo had murdered their father, and coupled with their fear of his immense power and their hatred of his wicked idea of "flooding the village," the priests, after deliberation, decided to forge blood vials, seal Li Dingguo's blood, and inflict the most vicious curse upon his soul.
Only I know how cruel and unjust this decision was for Li Dingguo. But I cannot say it. After a bloody battle, the tribesmen finally achieved "victory" and saved the village. What would happen if I told them that this "victory" was not only worthless but also stained with the blood of their benefactors? The warriors of the Hamo tribe believe most in honor and justice. They can break down, they can go mad. As Bai Wenxuan said, that madness could even lead the entire tribe to destruction.
What should I do? I have no other choice but to muster my courage and bear all the suffering alone. May God, and may my father's spirit in heaven, understand me and forgive my mistakes.
After making this decision, I knew I would be forever plunged into darkness. I was clearly no longer fit to inherit my father's position as tribal chief—let Aliya take on this responsibility; he was a brave and upright warrior who represented the glorious side of the Hamo tribe.
As for me, let me keep that blood vial, keep Li Dingguo's blood, and be accompanied by those vicious curses for the rest of my life...
...
Thus, the curse on Li Dingguo and the glorious legend of the holy war were intertwined and passed down through generations among the Hamo people. More than three hundred years later, although the blood bottle was finally broken, a new sacred object containing the blood of Li Dingguo's descendants was recast and passed to Xu Xiaowen on this morning.
Xu Xiaowen seemed to sense the presence of Helai from back then, and the saintesses of later generations. They had all stood on this sacrificial altar time and again, pressing the blood vial against their chests. Then they would turn their backs, using this highly symbolic posture to protect the blood vial, preventing the vicious curses of their people from harming the soul within.
At this moment, under Sotulan's guidance, the tribespeople bowed their heads and closed their eyes. The annual ritual officially began, and the tribespeople's anger, hatred, and their boundless sense of justice in the face of evil would erupt completely at this moment along with the curses.
Xu Xiaowen closed her eyes, the blood vial pressed against her chest, bringing a chilling sensation. Like every previous saintess, following the instructions on the letter of suffering, she began to devoutly recite: "Revered God, you forever protect the upright and courageous Hamo people. Please allow me to bear all their curses with my pure body, and do not harm the wronged soul of that hero. Those tribesmen who are unaware of the truth, they have been deceived by me, so please do not punish them either. All the suffering will be borne by me, Saintess Xu Xiaowen."
After this scene ended, Xu Xiaowen turned around, a subtle change in her expression. She became solemn, exuding an aura of unapproachability. This sacrificial ritual seemed to have allowed her to experience over three hundred years of trials and tribulations in an instant.
Xu Xiaowen scanned the clansmen below the stage with her eyes, and she saw Luo Fei standing in the southeast corner of the sacrificial site.
Luo Fei was also looking at Xu Xiaowen. He noticed that her gaze lingered on him, but only for a very brief moment.
From any perspective, Xu Xiaowen is no longer the lively female student; she is the holy woman of the Hamo tribe, bearing all the suffering of her tribe.
Luo Fei raised his hand, as if trying to touch something, but he couldn't touch anything.
"Lord Anmi is dead." After scanning the crowd, the saintess solemnly stated, "The tribe needs a successor. Shuiyi Die has always been loyal and brave, and it was he who personally killed the demon the day before yesterday. Only he is qualified to become the new leader of the Hamo tribe!"
The saintess's words revealed the thoughts hidden in everyone's hearts. The tribespeople erupted in cheers. Shui Yi Di was also standing below the altar. Before he could fully react, several young men beside him had already lifted his body and tossed their hero high into the sky.
"Respected Chief Shuiyi Di." Led by Suotulan, the tribesmen paid the highest tribute to the young man who had been imprisoned in the water dungeon just a few days ago.
A bitter smile appeared on Luo Fei's lips. He could imagine that Shui Yidi was enjoying the same treatment that Aliya had received over three hundred years ago. Luo Fei could only learn about the bloody battle between Aliya and Li Dingguo indirectly through historical records, but he had personally witnessed how Shui Yidi killed Li Yanhui.
His thoughts drifted back to that late night the day before yesterday.
...
After reading the contents of the letter of suffering, Xu Xiaowen immediately decided to take Shui Yidi to the "Valley of Terror." After Luo Fei deciphered the secrets of the map, the truth behind many mysteries was gradually becoming clearer in his mind; however, many things still needed further understanding and verification. Now that he had regained his freedom, his next step was undoubtedly to find Li Yanhui in the Valley of Terror and confront him face-to-face.
Xu Xiaowen initially disagreed with traveling with Luo Fei, and Luo Fei knew very well what she was worried about. He walked up to her and said softly, "You don't need to hide it from me. I already know those secrets—the secrets about Li Dingguo's death."
"Really?" Xu Xiaowen's body trembled slightly, and for the first time, she showed a helpless expression to Luo Fei. "Nothing can escape your eyes..."
“You should believe that I am someone who can keep secrets. Besides, you still need my help right now.” Luo Fei’s gaze was sincere.
After a moment of silence, Xu Xiaowen nodded: "Let's go."
On the way to the Valley of Terror, Xu Xiaowen recounted the detailed account in the Letter of Suffering to Luo Fei. Several key details confirmed his earlier suspicions. Some of the more subtle points, however, broadened his thinking. He frowned slightly, his mind racing, slowly piecing together the previously scattered clues.
"So what are your plans now?" After a long silence, Luo Fei suddenly asked Xu Xiaowen.