Four hours later, this Temple of the Crown Prince was full to bursting with “lost” people. Xie Lian counted silently and determined there were about a hundred in total. Not a single one would be able to leave these woods.
With crowds came bustling noise, and everyone started chatting.
“Did you also randomly end up here? This reeks of evil!”
“Why don’t we try to find a way out again?”
“Let’s go, let’s go. I refuse to believe that not a single one of us will be able to find a way!”
Xie Lian was sitting in the corner and looked up abruptly. “It won’t matter how far you walk. There is no exit.”
The crowd looked at him. “How come?”
“Because you were led here by a monster. You’re his toys, so why would he let you go so easily?” Xie Lian said bitterly.
Silence descended upon the room.
Within the crowd, some thought he was an alarmist, some thought he was deliberately being cryptic, and some thought he shouldn’t be underestimated.
One of them stood up and asked Xie Lian, “Who are you? What makes you say that?”
“I think he was the first one here. He was already sitting there when I came.”
“Weird…”
“Yeah, and his face is covered too.”
“Do you have any proof?” one asked.
“There is no proof. Believe it if you will,” Xie Lian said evenly. “The monster certainly didn’t lure you here to invite you all in for a meal. I don’t think I need to tell you to be a little more careful.”
After he spoke but before anyone could respond, the sound of frantic footsteps came from the far distance. Everyone instantly perked up.
“Another one’s coming!”
There were some who wanted to go outside and check it out, but just as they crossed the temple threshold, they hastily slipped back inside. This was because the running noise was accompanied by waves of crazed screaming.
The screaming voice didn’t sound human at all. Everyone’s faces dropped, and they all backed further into the temple.
“What the heck! Who could that be? It’s not some beast, is it?!”
As the figure within the beguiling fog swiftly approached the temple, Xie Lian narrowed his eyes. “No, it’s a person!”
Except the person was running in their direction and howling deafeningly at the same time, his hands covering his face. Seeing that he would make it to the temple at any second, Xie Lian squeezed through the crowd and stood at the front to see what was happening.
It was as if the man had no eyes. He crashed straight into a tree at the entrance of the Temple of the Crown Prince. Bang! He bounced back a good three meters, then fell to the ground unconscious.
The crowd was shocked. Still crammed inside the temple, they all stretched their necks out to gawk. “What… What happened to that man?” they wondered apprehensively.
Some, like the street performer, were gutsier and declared that they were going to examine him.
“Don’t go near him!” Xie Lian immediately called out.
Those people jumped at his severe tone. “Then what do we do? Just let him lie there?”
“I will go take a look,” Xie Lian said.
“Then you be careful, okay?” the crowd said.
Xie Lian nodded and approached the tree slowly, then crouched next to the man. He was about to move the hand covering the man’s face when he suddenly jumped and let out two shrieks.
Yes, two shrieks at once—two sounds happened at the same time. One came from his mouth and the other came from his face—another face on the man’s face!
Human Face Disease!
Goosebumps instantly raised on Xie Lian’s skin, and his pupils shrank. The crowd within the temple was frozen watching this horrifying scene. After the man sprang up, he dropped his hands and began to charge over to where the people were, but thankfully Xie Lian had quick reflexes and struck. The Human Face Disease victim was instantly sent flying dozens of meters away by his slap. Xie Lian then hastily backed away to shield the entrance of the temple while exclamations of panic and shock sounded from the crowd behind him.
“I thought that disease only appeared in the imperial capital! So many people died—but wasn’t the plague extinguished?!”
“It’s not real! It can’t be real! Is that really a face on his face?!”
The horror only increased in the next moment when more wailing echoed from all around. Over ten wobbling figures were approaching the temple.
They didn’t need to look closer to know they all had Human Face Disease!
“Everyone, run! Spread out! Don’t let them come close!” someone yelled.
But Xie Lian shouted, “Don’t spread out! Who knows how many more of them there are in the woods?! If there are others out there, it’ll all be over!”
“Then what do we do?!”
“We can’t stay here like sitting ducks!”
“Isn’t that just waiting for death to come to me?!”
The branch Xie Lian had broken off en route was hanging at his waist, and he grasped it to wield like a sword. “Don’t worry, they won’t come here. I get to decide whether they can approach!”
This was his domain, the Temple of the Crown Prince!
“You…”
Not waiting for any further questions, Xie Lian leapt out. With a few swings of the branch, all the Human Face Disease victims fell to the ground in an instant. Committing word to action wasn’t hard for Xie Lian at all, and sure enough, none of the disfigured wretches could get close. The crowd within the temple watched, punctuating the scene with harsh, gasping breaths, growing more and more shaken as the fight went on. When they saw that Xie Lian had triumphed, they all cheered, hollering thanks to the heavens.
At some point, ghost fires had come drifting on the night air from within the woods, and now they were dancing madly everywhere. Xie Lian couldn’t tell if they were helping drive away the disfigured wretches, but in any case, he didn’t think they were trying to obstruct him.
After making a sweep of the area, Xie Lian tried to sheathe his sword out of habit; only after his hand came up empty when grasping for his scabbard did he remember that he was wielding not a sword but a tree branch. He felt awkward for a moment.
Suddenly, he spotted a white-clad figure not far away, waving and beckoning him. Xie Lian’s blood was still boiling from the fight, and he instantly gave chase.
“Don’t even think about escaping!”
The band of ghost fires zoomed over and followed his charge like they were lighting his way. Naturally, White No-Face wasn’t trying to escape. He strolled at an easy pace, his steps languid, but he always remained seven or eight paces ahead. Xie Lian pursued him for a few steps before he realized something and immediately turned back. Noticing that he wasn’t chasing anymore, White No-Face stopped.
“Why aren’t you following me?”
Xie Lian looked back. “You just want to lead me away so you can spread another wave of Human Face Disease. Why would I follow you and let you have your way?”
“No, you’re mistaken. My objective isn’t to ‘lead you away.’ My objective is you.”
Although his expression was concealed by the cry-smiling mask, for some reason, Xie Lian could sense he was smiling.
Luring Xie Lian away truly made no sense. If White No-Face wanted to spread Human Face Disease again, he could’ve done so anywhere else in the world and Xie Lian wouldn’t have been able to stop him. So why was he doing it in these deep mountains?
Xie Lian stopped. “Then what exactly do you want?!”
He had asked that same question countless times and was starting to lose his patience.
“I’ve already told you. I want you to come to my side,” White No-Face replied.
Xie Lian wielded his tree branch and pointed it at him. While it was not threatening whatsoever—even a little funny—it was nonetheless the only weapon he had on hand. Thank goodness, a particularly bright ball of ghost fire landed on the tip of the branch and helped add some battle aura.
